Kingdom Hearts: Crisis Core
by Tashasaurous
Summary: "Set within the SM Continuum Universe": Eight years after the events of "Sailor Moon 0-Birth By Sleep"-While trying to figure out the mystery of his strange dreams, Zack is instead taken on an adventure that will change his life and decide the fate of both himself and those connected to him, and in the end, is connected to someone very important to the long forgotten past: FIN!
1. PROLOGUE: Dreams and Beginning

**KINGDOM HEARTS: CRISIS CORE.**

 **Author's note: Welcome new fellow readers. I've finally decided to write a somewhat novelization version of one of the prequals in the series of "Sailor Moon Continuum", a story where it's a prologue of how the adventure really began leading directly into the very first adventure.**

 **I'll give you a recap on the prequel stories which are prologues to the main series of the Continuum.**

 **I do not own anything.**

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PROLOGUE: Dreams and Beginning.

 _(_ **~Dearly Beloved-KH BBS~** _)_

 _The Story so far..._

 _The story began with three Keyblade wielders in the early years-one who was destined to become a powerful sorcerer, another who was destined to train newer generations of Keybladers, and the third who at first was good hearted, was destined to doom himself to the influence of Chaos and who would later doom the second wielder and his apprentinces._

 _As part of their training they travelled to the far forbidden world of Cocoon and Gran Pulse, becoming entangled in the struggles of six people who struggled to save their loved ones and their worlds. Aided by a Sailor Warrior from the future the Keyblade wielders succeeded in saving the world which it's doom would lead the doom to the rest of the Realm of Light._

 _After bidding farewell to the Sailor Warrior who travelled to another future ahead of her time the Keyblade wielders left the new world of Gran Pulse behind them but they were not told of it's doom by the hands of a man who killed a Goddess and killed one of the six people's younger sister. With no other choice, wielder's master sealed away the world into a distant past which the unknown world resides to reawaken in years to come._

 _Many years later, young mouse in a humaniod-animal world where most animals, save for normal ones, lived out like humans with towns and cities, along with his close friends and loved ones, went on many adventures, until one day he was spirited away to another world where he met the Sorcerer, now retired from his Keyblade days, and has taken him in as an apprentince as well as his successor of the Keyblade due to the young mouse's heart of light._

 _This same mouse returned home and saved his world, an year later became a king due to his kindness and courage, despite still being a slight troublemaker and overly curious._

 _But just before he became a king in that very same year the mouse travelled back in time to discover a truth of the worlds, but when he reuighted with his friends all of his memories of that adventure were lost including the memories of that of a true heroine who also lost her memories for she is yet to be born and yet to be time-travelling._

 _Four years later these four wielders, the Sorcerer, his apprentince the young mouse, the Keyblade wielder guiding three new generations, and the one who was unknowingly under control all became part of a great new threat of the Realm of Light, caused by the third wielder himself._

 _The sorcerer sensed the danger befalling the worlds and it's seven Princesses of Heart, thus contacted his remaining friend who sent two of his apprentinces to other worlds in hopes of investigating the cause of the threat._

 _The first apprentince was secretly tricked by the corrupted master to open his heart to the darkness, while he sent his own apprentince to trick the youngest Keyblade wielder to run away in order to drive the boy away from home._

 _The mouse who learned of the danger during his second training rushed without a word in hopes in solving the crisis, as well as helping a young boy from a far distant future his friend Pokemon friend, as the two came from a future where the world of Pokemon as fallen into Darkness due to a great tower of time's collaspe as they hoped to change the future._

 _The female apprentince meets a young newly crowned ruler who was sent from her Moon Kingdom from 1,000 in the past and into the future, under disguise form of "Sailor Moon"._

 _As each group journey, they meet new friends and villians in other worlds, along the way meet a certain young man who shares an unknown connection with the mouse, and eventually the groups learn of the now evil master's true goal to recreate the ancient legendary X-Blade that separated the world and nearly dooming the Realm of Light by means of forcing the youngest apprentince and the dark apprentince to fuse together to recreate the X-Blade while having force the first apprentince to surrender his heart to the darkness and both he and the dark master vanished._

 _During this, the remaining Keyblade Master who knows of the evil one's plots attempted to kill the youngest apprentince but was defeated by his oldest apprentince, then finished off by the evil master._

 _Despite failing to save the two apprentinces, the remaining five warriors combine their powers and the power of a great powerful silver crystal to defeat the dark apprentince and destroy the X-Blade, but the youngest apprentince loses his heart which makes it's way to that of a young four year old boy._

 _In the aftermath the young ruler returns to the past, the two of the future return to their time, and the third apprentince vanishes without a trace. Only the young mouse king remained and became a Keyblade Master under his mentor's teachings._

 _Five years later, the mouse was called by the Fyath of another world into an adventure to help a young Summoner and her guardians to save the world of Spira, and succeeds, but because his spirit was placed into a dream body from a realm of sleep, when he returned to his own body he believed that adventure nothing more than a dream._

 _Two years later, the Sailor Warrior who would aid the three old Keyblade wielders in the past time-travelled into the past before she left to enter a future in five years time while the mouse returns to a certain world to help a demi-god and a friend to stop the Lord of the Dead._

 _Now, another year later, that friend who shares a connection with the mouse is about to face a challenge that will decide his fate. At the same time a young fourteen year old girl who apperently is a normal teenger is about to begin her own adventure and discover something more._

 _But not before the young friend of the mouse is about to face his fate._ ( **End Dearly Beloved** )

* * *

( **~Mission Start-Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII~** )

 _[µ]-_ _εγλ2000_.Midgar, the heart of the ShinRa Electric Power Company where the power of Mako used for electricty and place of many beginings.

At this moment in the middle of the city, the signal bar came down. The train however did not stop and drove straight through the bar and smashed it into pieces, while a ShinRa helicopter followed it in the emergancy.

" _Wutai troops have hijacked Shinra Express MK93 II._ " said the pilot's voice on the radio from the cockpit. " _The train is currently headed to Midgar Sector 8. A SOLDIER operative will be inserted to neutralize the situation._ "

In the back of the chopper was a young man who is the SOLDIER operative as he waited for his cue, as he knew this was an important mission that he shouldn't fail at.

" _We are to proceed as scheduled._ " the Pilot continued. " _Commence mission in 3...2...1...mark. Begin mission._ "

The SOLDIER stood up and and leaned near the now opened side-doors, as the pilot concluded, " _Operative is ready for insertion._ "

He looked down at the fast moving train. He was looking forward to this. He was actually sixteen years of age.

Behind him, a wise voice told him, "The train has been overrun by Wutai troops." reporting, "Eliminate them and regain control of the train."

The young man turned around, his blue eyes sparkling in excitement as he saluted with two fingers and replied, "Oh yeah!" before jumping out just as the man behind him scolded, "Get serious!"

Wind hitting him as he dove, the young man crouched and landed skillfully on the train, minising the impact on his body. Staying low for a moment, the SOLDIER smirked as he slowly stood up after the train passed a bridge satisfied that the coast was clear for now. A voice called out his name, and when he turned around, a muscular man, a SOLDIER 1st Class and his mentor, twentythree years of age, jumped down and landed on the train behind him. Strapped on his back was a massive sword, one that the younger man has never seen him actually use.

The SOLDIER 1st Class's blue eyes narrowed as he gave the sixteen year old SOLDIER reproachful glance. "Zack, focus!" he told him. Despite the younger man, Zack Fair's frown, he continued, "There are no Shinra troops on this train. Understand?"

Giving his mentor a nod, Zack turned and grinned, his mentor crossing his arms.

As Zack ran and jumped from one cart to the next by the third bullets suddenly appeared and he had to quickly dodge them by feet dancing before they stopped and he lost his balance, and fell to his knees. He pulled his hand back in alarm just as another bullet nearly made it's mark.

"Hello to you, too!" he remarked, taking off again towards his destination, fighting against he wind as the bullets returned, but he wasn't worried. He was SOLDIER 2nd Class.

He looked ahead and noticed in slight confusion that the enemies attacking him with bullets were ShinRa troops rather than Wutai troops, but since they were attacking him Zack decided to attack back and would ask his mentor about the confusion later.

After all, the old saying goes; "Fight first, ask Questions later."

"Come and get it!" Zack shouted in challenge as he drew out his large broadsword and despite more bullets fired at him, he easily dodged and with a few swings he cut and slashed his way through the line. He didn't look back and continued through the soldiers fairly easily. These guys never stood a chance against SOLDIER anyway, but then again they wouldn't stand a chance against Turks either.

Zack smirked, but the smirk left his face as more enemies were ahead of him so he continued on as the targets opened fire. Zack continued to run and broke through some of them. To his dismay, the soldiers in front of him now held powerful bazookas. He grunted but not break his pace. Suddenly he looked up and noticed a series of large metal rafters which had a single line where bars did not form into one another and formed a tunnel.

An idea formed in his mind and as soon as the bazookas were launched, Zack bend his legs and then made a huge jump in the air and flew into the tunnel above causing the enemies down below to drop their weapons and gaze in awe at this sight. Zack grinned, amused by their shocked daze.

"SOLDIER 2nd Class Zack, on the job!" He shouted, as he came out of the tunnel, fell, and spinned down towards the train where he thrusts his sword down into the connectors that held the train cars together. The blade sliced through the metal and severed the connectors.

Zack then leaped onto the roof of the cart connected to the train as the carts behind him pulled away. He smiled in satisfaction as he saw the enraged soldiers glaring at him back. Zack turned and twirled his sword before sheathing it behind his back.

" _Train MK93 II re-routed to Sector 1 Station near Mako Reactor 1. Proceed to mission phase 2 and change surveillance rank..._ "

As the train finally stopped slowly and safely, Zack leaped off and landed on the platform like he did when he landed on the train in the start. ( **End Mission Start** )

( **~First Mission-Final Fantasy VII~** )

After looking up, and seeing that he was alone, even lacking normal citizens, Zack stood up and walked forward, before pausing and looked around. Something didn't seem right.

Just then, his phone rang, and Zack reached into his pockets, and flipped it open to answer. "Zack speaking." he answered.

" _Making progress, Zack?_ " it was his mentor.

Recongising his voice, and remembering the question he wanted to ask earlier, Zack placed a hand onto his hip and asked in confusion, "What's going on, Angeal? Why are we fighting Shinra troops?"

" _They're Wutai troops in disguise._ " was the 1st Class, Angeal Hewely's reply in a tone that stated the obvious. At least it made sense to Zack. On the other end of the phone, Angeal continued, " _Now, head to the open area above._ "

Zack looked to his left, where the path lead to stairs above where he knew and inquired, "Towards Sector 8?"

" _Yes. But first, you have to clear a path._ "

"Clear a path?

" _You'll see what I mean. Be careful._ " Angeal cautioned.

While Zack was speaking to Angeal on the phone, more Wutai Troops in disguise came rushing down the stairs from Sector 8 and the moment they saw Zack, opened fire. But due to being noisy and lacking gun skills, many hits were missed and Zack was perfectly calm as if he hasn't noticed them at all or it was a casual conversation.

"So I can cut loose, right?" Zack asked, not bothered with the unwelcomed enemy.

" _Use some discretion._ " Angeal sighed, but he wasn't worried either. If Zack was calm despite the situation then the SOLDIER 1st Class's pupil was fine.

After the two hanged up, Zack smirked, saying to himself in excitement, "It's showtime!" and drawed out his sword to fight.

Those Wutai Troops didn't even last a minute as Zack, using use of his fire Materia for caution were burned and blasted before he finished the last two off with a down-slash and a powerful side-slice.

"Oh yeah!" Zack cheered to himself, twirling his sword in the air before sheathing it away. Another phone call from Angeal and Zack gave his report on his success.

" _Not too bad._ " Angeal admitted.

Zack grinned, "Piece of cake! I'll make first in no time!"

While commenting on Zack's confindence, Angeal instead told him, " _Go up the stairs at the end of the platform._ "

"You got it!" Zack replied, before hanging up, and ran up the stairs as instructed at the end of the platform to begin his next assignment. The more exciting assignments he gets, the more action he gets and the more fired up he gets.

( **~End First Mission~/The Summoned-Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII~** )

As Zack ran up the stairs, many people were running down into the direction he came from, screaming in fear. Seeing this Zack immediately knew that something was wrong so he rushed to the opposite direction where the people were running away from to see what was happening. When he got there on Sector 8 he saw why.

A large behemoth, a giant monster that looked like a dark blue dinosaur with a red mane and a tiger's head with a club-tail, roared and when it saw Zack it stomped and roared louder threateningly. Zack wasn't fazed. In fact, he immediately drew out his sword, and prepared to fight. He dodge-rolled out of the way from the behemoth's incoming attack before summoning his fire materia again causing major damage to the beast.

Seeing his chance, Zack rushed over and gave the behemoth five good hard and deadly slashes before it finally fell in the matter of seconds.

( **~End The Summoned~** )

Grinning, Zack sheathed away his sword but seconds after that he froze as he felt a cold thin blade over his left shoulder and narrowly touching the side of his face. It was obvious someone was behind him, forcing himself to raise his hands in defense and surrender. Why did he put away the sword at a bad time? Just who was it that was behind him?

"Showing your back to the enemy." a deep, calm and smooth voice spoke. "Overconfidence will destroy you."

Grunting in annoyance, Zack slowly turned around half-expecting Angeal. But when he turned around he gasped in shock and disbelief at the one who was pointing the very long sword that was unmistakenly the mausume(sorry for the misspelling of the sword), and it's owner was the familiar long silver-haired man, the unusual cat-like eyes.

Sephiroth.

"Wh-what is this!?" Zack exclaimed.

Sephiroth found this amusing, and attacked Zack who quickly shielded himself with his own sword but the younger man had trouble in defending himself, for Sephiroth's moves were too quick and all Zack could do was try and protect himself.

Struggling to hold onto the grip and trying to push Sephiroth back, Zack grunted, "Damn it! You're not the only hero!"

"It's over." Sephiroth simply said.

With this said, Sephiroth slashed Zack back, and slicing the younger man's sword into two pieces while Zack landed hard on the ground, defeated and his broken sword far away from him. The young raven-haired man was down to count.

* * *

"Impossible!" Exclaimed Angeal who gazed at his phone, before hanging up to whoever he was talking to, and rushed over to find his pupil.

* * *

Slowly walking to Zack, Sephiroth smirked, tipping his sword at the exhausted teen. As Zack noticed, he suddenly realised that he was finished. Just before Sephiroth could stab him, Zack shut his eyes and braced himself, grunting and biting back a scream, as everything went white then black...

* * *

 _Year: 1996..._

Biting back a scream, Zack Fair, a hero wanna-be, awoke with a start, breathing and panting almost as if he had just lost a fight and was downt to count. In reality, however, he was only staring blue sky in the middle of day time in City of Thebes at Olympus in Greece. Feeling unusually warm and having cold sweat on his forehead, Zack looked around, and found that he was in the fountain garden where a couple of friends of his went on a date about a year ago.

He must've feel asleep on the bench last night and forgot to head home. Finally, the disorientation eased and he scratched the back of his head.

"Another dream about him." Zack muttered to himself. For the past eight years, ever since meeting those seven friends who arrived in different days all those eight years ago and had never returned, except for Mickey who visited a year ago and aided their friend Hercules to save the town from Hades, Zack couldn't stop dreaming of...another version of himself in a high-tech city he by now came to know as Midgar, which doesn't even exist.

And as always, the dream ended with that version of himself about to be stabbed by Sephiroth, the famous hero.

Standing up and stretching out his arms, biting back a yawn, Zack thought about his dream with a thoughtful expression, asking himself, "Why does it seem so...familiar?"

Because of this, his dreams were starting to drive him on edge.

Little did he know, these were no normal dreams. Well, as far as Zack was concerened they were not normal to begin with.

 **TASHASAUROUS Presents...  
A Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy VII, Sailor Moon crossover...**

 **KINGDOM HEARTS: CRISIS CORE.**

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 **A/N: Please leave a review, fellow readers. Hope you enjoyed the prologue of the new story.**

 **Edited and redone: Thanks for the advice Team Wingless. I hope this version of the prologue is better. Like I said, I hope you'll continue reading it.**


	2. CHAPTER 1: Training and Advice

**Author's note: Here's the first chapter of the story. This story will mainly be based in the present day rather than...Zack's dreams which will only have snippets after this chapter, though some will be more detailed than others.  
**

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CHAPTER 1: Training and Advice.

 _ **World: Olympus Coliseum.**_

( **~Olympus Coliseum-KH2~** )

Four hours later finds Zack doing his daily excercise, doing his favorite squats had came to do out of habit until he came to realise a few years back that doing this keeps helps him think and try to be calm. Not to mention helps him to get his muscles into perfect shape. When he first came to the Coliseum, he was only fourteen years old.

Now twentytwo, Zack shaped up a little bit. But that didn't mean he became a hero instantly. Zack knew he still had a lot of work to do but...come on, Phil! Give him some tormaments to compete for crying out loud! Now that Hercules was a true hero, Phil started training Zack to become a hero as well despite the latter's heroic deeds a year back in helping Herc' to stop Hades and saving the world.

"Hey, Zack." Speaking of Herc. The demi-God, who had decided to stay in this world as a mortal, entered the coliseum doors and leaned on the frame of the doorway, watching his friend squating while having noticed the stressed and somewhat frustrated look on the spiky-black-haired man's face. "You seem a little on edge." Hercules thought.

"Can you blame me?" Zack grunted, breaking a sweat but not stopping. "All this, training, and no, tornaments. It's like Phil's, hanging me out to dry!"

When Herc' didn't reply Zack changed the subject, and said, "You must be pretty busy with saving everybody in town." even though there hasn't been any incidents lately aside from odd monsters that came from the Underworld by Hades once and a while. Plus for the past month things have been quiet.

"Uh, saving the town?" Herc' repeated, caught off-guard. He then realised something and asked, "Wait, haven't you heard? Everybody's been going crazy over a black shooting star that appeared last night."

This caught Zack off-guard and he stopped his squats all together, standing up and stared at his friend in surprise. A black shooting star? That's a new one. It couldn't be the darkness in the sky could it? Zack had experience with darkness before due to Hades and he nearly lost himself. If it wasn't for Terra or Grovyle, two travellers who were also well known as heroes(at least Terra was), then Zack was certain he would've been lost forever. That kind of black magic scared him for life.

"Nobody knows what the black shooting star is, but it appeared out of nowhere. On top of that a few stars have been mysteriously blinking out during night time." Hercules explained.

Zack crossed his arms against his chest in thought, while Hercules continued, "I doubt there's an immediate answer to all of this, but rumors say that Hades made have something to do with it."

While Zack wanted to agree that Hades would do something as stupid as making a black shooting star to take over Olympus, for some reason he actually doubted that was the case. Something was up, and Zack had no idea why.

The conversation was interrupted and quickly ended when Phil the Stytr and Herc's trainer walked in from the doorway leading to the stadium, as Hercules and Zack greeted him.

"Hey Zack," Phil began, "new tornaments up!"

"Whoo! Finally!" Zack cheered, in relief. "Some real action!" as he approached the goat-man.

Mentally grumbling at Zack overly excitement, Phil continued outloud, "This is your show, kid." before adding firmly holding out tow fingers to count, "And remember, two simple words of advice: A, nice, clean, game!" which instead wasn't two words at all.

Which Zack noticed and countered his fingers to count the words Phil said, "One, two, three, um...?" puzzled and slightly dumbfounded realising it was four words. This happened the first time they met eight years ago when Zack confronted Phil and tried to convince him to train him but he was too late as Hercules approached him first. Heck, even Ven, another traveller, noticed the wrong number of words when they met the blonde-haired teen too.

Deciding to forget about it Zack followed Phil into the stadium to get ready for the competition. After all, it was all part of Zack's training to become a hero and he somewhat worshipped four heroes;

Terra, Aqua the female traveller, Sephiroth and Hercules.

( **End Olympus Coliseum** )

* * *

After an hour to warm up and prepare himself, Zack stepped into the fighting arena. He competed in other cups before through out eight years, training hard to fufil his dream in becoming a hero. He met up with Phil near it.

"This match's the Phil Cup! Better watch yourself." Phil cautioned.

Zack grinned, confident that he'll win. "You got it!" he replied, racing into the fighting arena, as the crowd cheered on already.

( **~Go For It-KH1.5 HD ReMIX~** )

Round 1:

First up was another fighter, but to Zack, this bulky guy, who was known as a troublemaker, but had fought his way to get here by cheating, was far slower than Zack himself was. Dodging out of the way of the man's powerful punch, Zack quickly responded by giving him a good slash with his sword, successfully making cuts on the larger man's arm, before the opponent blocked Zack's sword with his own.

But Zack jumped out of the way before leaping into the air and slashed at the larger opponent one more time and as the man collasped to the ground, he tried to sit up but Zack responsed in punching him on the head and leaving a lovey pointy bump, in a similiar position as the four-legged horse-man at the river where Hercules, Phil, Pegasas, Zack himself and Mickey first met Meg a year ago. The man comically passed out, injured and humilatingly defeated, much to everyone's relief and excitement

Zack wins the 1st round!

And the crowd goes wild!

Round 2:

The next opponent relayed in speed, but because Zack taught himself to handle both fast and strong opponents, this guy stood no chance, and because Zack kept on dodging his fast moves, Zack eventually tricked him into cornering him at a piller. Once the speedy fighter approached, Zack simply moved out of the way, and bursted out laughing as the opponent crashed head-first into the piller with a crash, actually forming a crack on the piller itself.

The crowd, Phil and Hercules also bursted into laughter the sight of the speedy opponent's humilating defeat, and this time Zack didn't even break a sweat.

2nd round down, four to go!

The other three rounds went smoothly, for Zack defeated an axe-man who tried to outwit him but was outwitted himself, then he defeated a whipping-weapon man who's whip was sliced into several pieces by Zack's sword and had surrendered.

As the fifth round came, Zack simply just punched another sword-wielding man's face and knocked him out-cold for the other guy simply just held his sword high and unwittingly left himself open.

It was somewhat easy for Zack today, but he enjoyed the match, for these opponents were tough on everyone else.

( **End Go For It** )

* * *

During a half an hour break, allowing Zack some time to rest and warm up for the last round which would be difficult, he was itching to get on it. If there's one thing you should know about Zack Fair, is that when it comes in doing something exciting, paitence is never his fortee. He hated waiting, but he knew he should.

( **~Innocent Times-KH: BBS~** )

While Zack was waiting for his final match as he wondered who would be his final opponent, Phil came up to him as Hercules waited by the exit and the goat-man praised Zack, saying, "You're getting better and better. Keep that up, and your dream on becoming a hero may be closer than you think."

When he heard these words Zack was overcome by joy and he was laughing happily, squealling, "Phil! Aw, I love you, man!" picking up the startled Phil and gave him a great big hug, catching the goat-man off-guard as he tried to squirm free from the overly-excited Zack's arms while Hercules chuckled at the cute scene.

Eventually, Phil freed himself with difficulty and landed on the ground before grumbling to the young man thankful that Zack's strength wasn't as crazily strong as Herc's godly strength but it was still too strong and uncomfortable enought for him, "You might wanna work on that, Zack." referring to Zack's childish excitement.

"Sorry." Zack replied, a bit sheepisly but he was still grinning.

Phil mentally sighed, then told the trainee, "The last challenger of this match is pretty tough. Better be prepared."

( **End Innocent Times** )

* * *

Zack was preparing himself. He didn't know what to expect, but he didn't want to get caught off-guard. He figured that the final opponent would be pretty tough but not as tough as Herc'. Still, Zack couldn't shake off this weird feeling that something is about to happen and he couldn't figure out why.

When his break was over, Zack returned to the fighting arena to face off in his final challenge of the Phil Cup and hopefully win the tornament. He came pretty far so far and he was thankful for it. Zack hoped that today was the day he would finally become a hero. But then again it was up to the people to decide, not the fighter.

But as he waited the gates on the other side opened, and Zack's eyes widened in complete shock as he recongised who his final opponent is. The silver long hair, the very long sword...

"No way!" Zack exclaimed, both shocked and excited. "S-Sephiroth!?"

Sephiroth, seeing the young opponent react this way, smirked and readied his sword getting into a fighting position as he said in a smooth tone, "This should be interesting."

( **~Terra's Theme-KH BBS~** )

Snapping back to reality, Zack drew out his sword now more determined and excited than ever as he replied, "I've been waiting for this day to meet the hero I worshipped!"

"Begin the final match!" Phil announced.

The battle was on. Sephiroth swiftly dashed forward and clashed with Zack who being caught off-guard all of the sudden could only try to block Sephiroth's fast moves before Zack rolled out of the way to avoid in being sliced into pieces. He counterparted by swinging his sword at Sephiroth who expertly blocked it as if it was nothing. As Zack stood, he backed away just in time by one second for the tip of Sephiroth's sword was on inch too close to his throat, before Zack leaped away.

However, Zack was quickly forced to block Sephiroth's next attack and at this while the younger man tried to push the opponent back Zack suddenly felt the flash of deja vu and it was a powerful one as well. But he didn't have time to ponder as Sephiroth gave a powerful blasting push that threw Zack across the arena, where the latter landed roughly on the ground and his sword scattered on the other side.

( **End Terra's Theme** )

Everyone in the crowd, Hercules, Phil, even Meg who arrived on time to see this all gasped, while Pegasas repeatedly bit his hooves scaredly praying that Zack would be alright and half expecting this to end badly.

While Zack was breathly slowly Sephiroth walked over and the former's eyes widened suddenly remembering his dream. Zack shut his eyes as he felt Sephiroth move in for the killing blow. But the killing blow never happened. Zack hesitatedly opened his eyes to see the sword over him close to his chest but only barely touching it.

After a moment or two, Sephiroth drew his sword away from the younger man allowing Zack to sit up, before standing up and, seeing how he lost but was spared, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I didn't win, but that sure was exciting." Zack admitted. All in all, it was an awesome battle and despite the loss he was glad to have had the chance and lived through it.

Sephiroth smiled, and replied, "It's been a while since I've faced a worthy opponent." admitting, "You're very skilled, young man."

Zack was a bit nervous until Sephiroth held out his hand for a hand shake which stunned him. Zack slowly shook the man's hand before letting go and replied, "Thanks. Now I know why you're a hero."

"Let's battle again sometime soon."

"Cool, I'll be waiting." Zack grinned. "By the way, I'm Zack."

Sastified, Sephiroth nodded, "It's been a pleasure, Zack." before turning and walked away as the winner but he was more proud to have found a worthy opponent like Zack.

Once Sephiroth was out of sight Zack stood there frozen, despite the crowd going wild for the amazing match praising both Sephiroth and Zack. But Zack wasn't listening to anything at the moment. Instead, he thought back when Sephiroth...

"Holy..." he muttered to himself, stunned and shocked, almost lost for words. "He almost killed me, just like...in my dream last night." he remembered how the dream turned out and to think it nearly came true but in a different place. It felt strongly familiar, but this was more real. Zack wondered what it could mean.

It was Phil who snapped Zack back to reality, as the latter turned to look at him. "Kid, that sure was close! You okay?" Phil asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Guess I gotta do more training." Zack replied, quietly adding to himself, "...and a little thinking."

* * *

( **~Sky Blue Eyes-Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII~** )

Later that afternoon, Zack had been thinking about his experience at the tornament as well as his dream for the rest of the day and it's been driving him crazy. He knew something was up but he couldn't figure out how or why. He came to a conclusion that he had to talk to Herc' about this since the latter had the similiar feeling before he learned that he was God and that was shortly before they met.

Thankfully, Zack found his friend on the top of a grassy hill outside of town watching the sunset which was beautiful. Hearing someone approach him, Hercules turned around and saw a rather semi-gloomy Zack approach him and the two stood next to each other.

"Hey, Zack." Hercules greeted, before shrugging apologectically, "Heard that you lost today. Talk about a bummer."

"Ah, it's cool. Besides, nobody can beat Sephiroth or you. You two guys are pretty much unbeatable, but you'd both never really kill anybody unless it's nesserary." Zack pointed out with a weak smile, before looking at the ground with a frown, and mentally sighed.

Noticing his friend's grim look, Herc' couldn't help but ask, "You okay?"

"Yeah." Zack began, before admitting with a shrug, "Just being borthered by weird dreams lately."

"Dreams? What kind?"

Zack told Hercules about another version of himself being a SOLDIER 2nd Class, High-Tech city that he named Midgar from description, another version of Angeal being SOLDIER 1st Class, another version of Sephiroth, Wutai Troops, and how the dream always ends with Sephiroth killing him, and how the real Sephiroth nearly did today, except that Zack was spared.

"Maybe that's what is preventing me from getting anywhere in becoming a true hero like you." Zack concluded with another helpless shrug.

"Zack," Hercules began to his friend, "A true hero isn't messured by the size of their strength, but by the strength of their hearts. You remember that, right?"

The black-haired man nodded, "Yeah, and you found that out in saving Meg and bringing her back to life from the underworld, and boy, did you whip Hades into shape." and the two lightly laughed at the memory of how Hercules punched Hades in the face so hard that it was practically smooshed and the face briefly disappeared in the head, and Zack remembered how he and Mickey laughed at the sight after Herc' rescued Meg's soul from the River of Death.

After a moment of silence, Hercules went into thinking of a way to help out his friend. Then an idea formed in his mind. "I have idea, Zack." Herc' began to Zack, suggesting, "Why don't you go and visit the Temple of Zeus and get information there. That's where I found out about my origins eight years ago, just before I met you, Phil, Ven, Terra, Jason, Grovyle, Serenity, Mickey and Aqua."

"Uh, you mean where the giant statue of Zeus is?" Zack asked, wanting to make sure if he heard right. Rumor has it that that's where many who are lost in life go to in order to find answers.

"Yeah. I'm sure you'll get answers there." Hercules answered.

Zack thought about, then he realised that, considering how that's where his friend found out his own answers, and then came to a decision that maybe it wouldn't hurt to ask Zeus about his weird dreams.

Nodding, he replied, "Okay. I'll do that tomorrow, first thing in the morning." shrugging as he knew that he would have to leave behind his home for a little while, "Too bad I'll have to put my training on hold, but I need to figure this out."

Zack also thought about his own mentor before they departed sometime eight years ago before he met his friends, "...and I'm also worried about Angeal. It's been eight years since I've last seen him."

"I'll tell Phil that you're gonna be gone for a while." Hercules stated, before placing a comforting hand on Zack's shoulder, adding, "Be careful out there."

Smiling at his friend's suppoort, Zack promised, "Will do. Thanks, Herc."( **End Sky-Blue Eyes** )

* * *

(In Zack's Dream)

 _At first, Zack thought he was dead. But when he realised he felt no pain from Sephiroth's sword he hesitatedly opened his eyes, breathing scaredly a little as the sword was over him. When he shifted his eyes to look forward he saw another sword blocking Sephiroth's._

 _It was Angeal who was holding Zack's broken sword, and the older man sighed in slight disappointment as well as relief that he made it in time to save his pupil. Sephiroth and Angeal retreated the swords allowing Zack to push himself up and the younger man sighed in relief._

 _"Thanks, Angeal." The teen smiled a little._

 _Angeal said nothing. Instead, he stood up and stared at Sephiroth who stared at nothing, almost completely lifeless. Digging out his PHS Angeal selected through the optains, choosing to "Abort Mission" and choosing yes before snapping his phone shut and putting it away. Then the entire scenery around him and Zack melted away into data. Even Sephiroth was melted into data._

 _As it turns out, it was a simulation training mission within the simulation room of the ShinRa HQ on floor 15._

 _"Training's over." Angeal announced._

 _Zack, who was wearing a simulation helmet during the training session jolted up to his feet in shock, demanding, "Wha? Why?"_

 _Not saying anything Angeal only pointed Zack's broken sword at the shocked younger man. Zack couldn't believe that the sword breaking was real. Once again he was stunned and amazed by the technology of the ShinRa Company._

 _"You serious?" he asked, before taking off his helmet and throwing it to the floor, protesting, "Aw c'mon! I was warming up!"_

 _Still not saying, Angeal instead turned Zack's sword backwards to allow the latter to take the broken weapon by the hilt. Zack took it and sighed, while Angeal walked passed him to leave the room for the day._

 _"Zack." Angeal spoke, causing Zack to turn to gaze at his retreating figure. "Embrace your dreams."_

 _"Huh?" was all Zack could say, confused._

 _Angeal paused in his steps, continuing, "If you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams." looking slightly back at his pupil, adding, "...and honor." before opening the automactic door and leaving Zack to ponder at his mentor's words._

 _"Uh...huh." Zack muttered, rubbing the back of his head. He had no idea, but he had heard of these words over and over again but today it just seemed a little...different._

* * *

Early the next morning...back in the real world.

Blinking his eyes open, Zack groaned as he awoke from his sleep in his room. It was same dream...except this time, it somehow now jumped ahead, and somehow completed the one he kept on having up until last night. It seemed that ever since meeting Sephiroth at the match Zack's dream was made a bit more clear and yet it only provided more questions.

"That was weird." Zack thought to himself, as he sat up, pondering at his dream. So his dream-self survived the other Sephiroth too. What were those...devices the other Zack and other Angeal were in? And that Sephiroth wasn't real?...cool gadgets, though. Wait...What the other Angeal said...Zack's eyes widened slightly as he realised those were the same words the real Angeal left him before they departed eight years ago.

 _Flash-Back: Eight years ago..._

 _As Angeal was leaving for an adventure, and Zack was about to leave in the opposite road leading to Thebes, Angeal paused in his steps, saying, "Zack, embraces your dreams...if you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams...and honor."_

End of Flash-Back.

Sighing and suddenly finding that he deeply misses his own mentor, Zack stared up at his ceiling wishing to see his close friend again. "...Angeal."

Now Zack knew he had to find his answers of his dreams.

* * *

Later that morning after preparing himself for his trip towards the countryside and journey to the Temple of Zeus, Zack arrived at the docks to catch the boat that would travel across the sea to his destination. Hercules, Phil, Meg and Pegasus joined up with him to say goodbye and wish him the best on his journey.

"Well, time to get going." Zack declared.

( **~Friends in My Heart-KH2~** )

"Bye." Zack said to his friends as he turned to them. He felt sad for leaving them behind but he promised himself he would come back safe and sound.

"Hey, Zack. I hope you'll find your answers, so you can come back to become a true hero too." Hercules said, hoping for the best for his friend.

Zack nodded, "Thanks, Herc. I hope I can find my answers too." he replied.

"No flirting with any ladies while you're at it." Meg told him in a somewhat motherly tone, much to Zack's dismay.

Okay granted, Zack was a bit of a ladies man but that was part of his nature. Could he help it that he liked to greet and hang out with pretty girls and ask them on a single date? He pouted, "Aw, c'mon!" before sighing in defeat and slumped, "Fun-crusher."

That's when Meg giggled, and stated, "I'm just kidding." making Zack puzzled and slightly baffled, before she continued, "Be careful out there, country-boy."

Zack chuckled at this, whispering to Hercules, " _"Country-boy"_ she says." as the two of them both grew up in the country, so thus, both of them are country boys despite they grew adapted in living in a city like Thebes.

"Kid, remember to come back." Phil began, then added with a hint of warning, "Because other wise I'll do two words: Knock, your, head!"

Despite that the Goat-Man said the wrong number of words again, Zack flinched at the trainer's words and muttered an awkward, "Uh, thanks?"

Herc on the other hand laughed as he pointed out to make Zack feel better, "You know Phil, Zack. He's only looking out for us."

"Hey!" Phil blushed heavily, before he and everyone else all laughed.

After they finished laughing Zack waved, saying his last goodbye, "Thanks, guys. See you soon!" before he raced up the ramp and onto the deck of the ship, turning around and gave his friends a final wave of goodbye while the crew worked on getting the ship into sailing.

As the boat was finally sailing away Zack was waving at his friends who waved back, all of them promising they would meet up again soon, while the ship Zack was on slowly disappeared into the horizon of the ocean.

( **End Friends In My Heart** )

However, fifteen minutes after Zack's ship left, while Hercules and the others were walking back into town, talking about how they missed their friend already, hiding behind near a building where the dock is, was the familiar tall gray skinned, blue-fire haired man in the black robes and sharp teeth, non other than the God of the Underworld; Hades.

( **~Villians of Sort-KH2~** )

"So the Mosquito is searching answers, huh? What kind, no clue." Hades was saying to himself, as he overheard of Zack's departure. Other than Hercules, and that Mickey Mouse who wasn't seen for a year Zack was another annoying bane in the Lord of the Dead's existance-all thanks to Terra and Grovyle, and even Aqua and "Sailor Moon". What was with them these days?

"Jeeze-louise." Hades grumbled to himself. He then formed an evil plan in his mind, and grinned, thinking of this as his advantage to overwhelm "WonderBreath". "Oh well, I'll just make sure that he's so out of the picture with a little..." he paused dramatically, before concluding, "Octopus-soup!"

Oh yes. This would be delicious for Hades, for had a plan to see Zack's soul in the Underworld. But little did any of them know...that someone else had Zack's fate in mind, and it was not death.

But something worse. ( **End Villians of Sort** )

* * *

 **A/N: Please review, and look out for the next chapter.**

 **Edited-Redone.**


	3. CHAPTER 2: Sudden Change

**Author's note: Not much to say here, so, let's continue on.**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

CHAPTER 2: Sudden Change.

Out at sea for a couple of days at sea, and Zack had nothing to do while on the ship taking him to his destination to the Temple of Zeus. For the passed few days since saying goodbye to his friends in Thebes, he'd done all he could to keep himself entertained; Squats, running, training, talking to some of the crew, counting stars at night-and he wasn't certain if he saw one just blink out or it was his imagination-seeing dolphins, whales or sharks, played chess with a crew member who brought a chess piece set with him, and repeat. By the third day, he just wandered around aimlessly on the boat, groaning for the lack of excitement.

The dreams haven't been helping either, 'specially since they now seem very familiar, but Zack didn't have a single clue on how or why. He knew that none of the events in his dreams ever happened to him in real life. He was born in a farming village, grew up there until he was thirteen when he left home, met Angeal and the two becoming close friends, a year later, the two parted ways for Angeal going on an adventure while Zack continued his path to follow his dream in becoming a hero.

Yet why did his dreams seem so real?

These dreams started to become slightly more real a month ago. What do they mean? Who was the other Zack? Why does he sound and look and act like him? Come to think of it, it's the same with Angeal.

Zack then groans, stretching up his arms upward, and grumbled, "I'm bored."

Just as the words slipped from his mouth, all of the sudden, the ship jerks violently, nearly causing Zack to lose his balance, as the ship continues to be rocked and thrusted as if it was caught in a storm, which a storm itself was storming to form in the sky, dark thunderclouds covering up the sky.

( **~Destiny's Force-KH1.5 HD ReMix~** )

"The ship is attacked!" A crew member cried out, as he clinged onto one of the mast of the ship, shivering from the cold and wet salty water, and in fear, as well as not wanting to fall off the ship.

Another crew member leaned over the rail, only to give out a blood curdling scream just as a giant tentacle wraps tightly around his body, holds him up into the air and then sucked right into the ocean, quickly presumed dead! Another crew member who saw this cried out hysterically, "Giant Octopus!"

"Huh!?" Zack gapped, as he rushed over to see what was going on, and he gasped in fear and awe, as more giant tentacles rose from the ocean, into the sky, before it crashed down and began to destroy the ship and taking as many people as it could, though most of them managed to avoid it, Zack included as he jumped out of the way, air-somersaulting out of the way and landed into as a safe distance as he could.

Knowing there was no other choice, Zack draws out his sword and slices a tentacle off, causing the remains of it to retreat back into the ocean, while it's sliced off limb flops helplessly for a moment until it drops dead. Zack cringed at this sight, reminding him of a poor chicken that had it's head chopped off and it's body ran around all over the place until it dropped dead when he was young. Not a good experience to see, especially when you were only five years old back then.

Thankfully, the other crew members, seeing how Zack bravely saved himself, also drew out their weapons, swords and spears and all prepared themselves for a fight that would probably be their last.

"Herc's not here, so I've gotta do my best! Thankfully, with these guys around." Zack thought to himself, as he dodged to the right and single-handedly slashed and sliced another tentacle off the ship. The crew threw spears at the tentacles, though the spears did less of a damage then swords would do. Some other crew members tried to do the same technque as Zack was doing, though they weren't as trained as Zack was.

As Zack leaped out of the way and narrowly dodged another tentacle, he heard a terrified scream behind him, and when he turned, he gasped in horror as a young crew member, roughly about his age, being trapped in the clutches of another tentacle, and the poor young man was desperately trying to get away.

"Hold on! I'm-a comin'!" Zack cried out, rushing over as fast as he could, jumping into the air, giving out a fighting-mode cry and slashed at the tentacle in half, causing the rest to retreat and it's pray released from the other half's clutches which loosened. Zack went over to help the man into sitting position, asking in concern, "You okay?"

The young man nodded, saying, "Thanks! I thought I was a goner!"

"Stay focused!" Zack told him, a bit firmly than necessary, "We still gotta fight this squid!"

"Aye-aye!" The young man replied, quickly getting to his feet with Zack's help and rushed back into the battle.

Zack in the meantime, sees another tentacle which is over him, and he readies his sword, shouting, "Come and get it!" and when it was close enough, he swiped and slashed at it as hard as he could, and the two halfs just went over him and not on top of him. But then he lost a bit of focus and another tentacle swiped at him, causing to be flown as he cried out, and smacked into a mast, where he collasped, holding the back of his head, as the world spinned around him, as the same tentacle was approaching him.

"Not good." Zack muttered, as he pointed his sword at the tentacle, out of energy and his head pounding, not in the best conditions at the moment, and that was a bad thing in this situation.

Just as he was about to meet his end, which Zack was preparing for, for he believed if he had to go down fighting, he would, all of the sudden, the tentacle was sliced, but not as impressive as Zack's skills would. The black-spiky-haired man blinked, as the young man he saved stood there, giving Zack an ether from the Moogle shop that recently opened in Thebes thanks to the small Moogle that appeared out of nowhere, selling potions and such, which Zack drank and his head returned to normal.

"Thanks, man." Zack thanked to the guy who nodded back.

Once Zack rejoined in the fight, things seemed to be doing well despite the ship suffering severe damages. Everyone was getting soaked by the mixture of the sea water and the poundering rain of the storm that arrived. As the last of the tentacles seemed to have sank into the ocean, and Zack and the crew, or what was remaining of them, all looked at each other relief, suddenly the ship jerked again, and this time, to everyone's horror, the ship was being tilted and pushed to the left and slowly flipped upside down!

The giant Octupus was going to drag the ship into the sea!

"Hang onto something!" Zack yelled out, as he clinged onto the mast, and helped the young man who he saved and had saved him, onto the mast as well, praying that everything would be alright. The rest of the remaining crew grabbed hold of either the tight ropes, or the railing of the ship, or the other masts, or onto the sails, as the ship was still being tilted to the side, until everyone was hanging helplessly in the air, as it threatened to drown them while it was about to be upside down.

But in the end, Zack and the young man with him both lost their grip as their hands slipped from the mast and they, and the other crew members who couldn't hold on either, all screamed as they fell and plummeted into the sea below, landing with a hard crash which knocked air out of their lungs, and one by one, all of the men sank slowly into the deep sea below, while the giant Octopus's powerful and massive tentacles crushed the ship into wooden pieces and pulled it with it into the darkness of the sea below. ( **End Destiny's Force** )

* * *

( **~Lux-Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy~** )

As the storm rages above with thunder and lightning, Zack begins to lose consciousness, as he continued to sink into the sea. In his still fuctioning mind, he grimly expected to drown and have his soul sent into the river of death in the Underworld forever. Yeah, what a way to die; attacked by an Octupus and then drown into the ocean.

Before he lost consciousness, though, Zack felt his heart inside his chest grow unusually warm, though he didn't know what was going on, or if he was imagining it. Underneath him, in the darkness below, something white and glowing slowly formed, growing bigger and bigger, until it formed into a strange warm circle of light. Since Zack was almost unconscious, he didn't even notice that his body was glowing as well, as he sank into the light below, and once he was inside the light, the light itself vanished with Zack.

Just before his world went black, his thoughts was this.( **End Lux** )

' _Angeal..._ '

* * *

In the timing-death Realm, the three Fates who were witnessing this and had timed Zack's apparent death, were just about to cut his last string of life, but as the smaller fate attempted to cut his string, the sisscors bounched off and the string unexpectedly returned to full health and normal. The three fates were dumbfounded at this.

"What in the name of Hera is going on?" The green Fate asked.

"The thread returned to full health!" The tallest Fate exclaimed, just as clueless as her sisters, pulling at Zack's string of life, which then suddenly glowed green and small pryflies appeared, before it disappeared completely.

Now this was unusual.

* * *

Hades also noticed the lack of one of his worst enemy's souls, and no matter how much he had Pain and Panic to look(because he dared not to go into the River of Death again after the experience done by Hercules, Zack and Mickey smacking him into it last time, and how slimly the souls were), there was no luck in locating Zack's soul at all.

Which meant only one thing; Zack was still alive...somehow.

"Any luck in locating Country-Boy's soul?" Hades asked once his two imps returned.

Pain and Panic looked at each other nervously, before the former decided to break the bad news, and shook his head, "Uh, sadly, no."

"That means he's still alive." Panic added.

An awkward pause.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAT!?" Hades exploded into red flames in sheer anger, causing slight destruction in his courters, and everything was smoked; even Pain and Panic who were blasted by Hades's anger-fire and pinned to the wall breathly, comically burnt, before the slid off and landed face first on the floor, knocked out.

"HOW COULD HE HAVE SURVIVED!?" Hades screamed, before he calmed down a little, storming to his chair, angrily saying to himself, "No one, not even that Mosquito had a chance to survive. He should've been dead by now!"

"There's good news, though." Panic muttered weakly. "There's no trace of him in the ocean either. So he just...disappeared."

Despite the lack of Zack's soul, Hades sighed, rubbing his temples, grumbling, "Disappearence is better than nothing."

Oh Zack disappeared alright...but that didn't mean he was gone.

* * *

( **~Treasured Memories; KH1~** )

(Fragments from Zack's dream)

 _Fragment 1: "Hey Zack," said a young man named Kunsel in the living room of the SOLDIER floor, as Zack was doing squats, "You seem a little on edge."_

 _"Can you blame me? All this training and no assignments. Like they're hanging me out to dry. You must be pretty busy with everyone off base." Zack replied, getting stress out._

 _"Off-base? Wait, haven't you heard? There's been a mass desertion at SOLDIER."_

 _Fragment 2: "SOLDIER 1st Class Genesis. A month ago, he went missing during a mission in Wutai. Know anything about this?" Lazard, a blonde haired man wearing a suit, and glasses, spoke during a meeting which Zack and Angeal took in the briefing room._

 _"Not a clue." Zack replied, shrugging._

 _"The mission is currently stuck in limbo. That's why we've decided to send you."_

 _"Uh, to Wutai?" Zack asked, making sure if he heard right._

 _"Yes," Lazard replied, "This war has gone on long enough."_

 _Angeal spoke up, saying without looking at Zack, "I've recommended you for 1st."_

 _Hearing this made Zack squeal happily, "Angeal! I love you, man!" giving his mentor a great big hug, causing Angeal to blush and Lazard to chuckle at the scene._

 _Fragment 3: "I'll be joining you as well. I'm counting on you." Lazard said._

 _"Sir!" Zack stood in attention._

 _The blonde-haired man leaned back in his chair, asking in interest, "By the way, what is your dream? "_ To become 1st" _...is it?"_

 _"No." Zack began, looking at ths ceiling proudly, "To become a hero!"_

 _"Ah, good!" Lazard said, "Unattainable dreams are the best kind."_

 _Zack faultered a little, a bit disappointed, "Uh, thanks?"_

 _Fragment 4: "All right! Next!" Zack called up after he'd taken down some Wutai troops upon his and Angeal's arrival in Wutai._

 _"Calm down, Zack." Angeal ordered as he walked passed his trainee._

 _Zack shrugged, replying, "No can do. The director is watching from somewhere, right? I have to make a good impression."_

 _"Zack," Angeal paused in his steps, inquiring, "Do you know about dumbapples?"_

 _The younger male thought about it, before he shrugged as he couldn't recall hearing anything as weird as dumbapples, before replying, "No, what is that?"_

 _Angeal placed a hand to his chin in disbelief, muttering, "Unbelievable... How can you not know about dumbapples?" before walking off into the path in the forest ahead, saying to Zack, "You'll never make 1st at that rate."_

 _Zack's eyes widened, as he cried out, "Whoa, wait! What are dumbapples!?"_

( **End Treasured Memories** )

* * *

Back to reality...

Feeling a bit sore, and rather strange, Zack's world began to return to him, as he groaned, as he flickered his eyes open. He took a good few moments to breathe in and out. He was still alive. How he managed to survive, he didn't know. He was at least lucky. It was a miracle at least, and the gods must've been watching over him and spared his life. Too the same couldn't be said for the crew on the ship.

On top of that, where was he? When did he wash up shore, and how long has he been out?

After about five minutes, Zack groaned, "That's a fine how-do-you-do." sarcastically. After a few moments, Zack slowly pushed himself up, standing up, before he blinked in shock and disbelief, which also answered his question on why he wasn't feeling any beach sand. Oddly enough, he wasn't even wet either. Instead, he'd been lying on an unfamiliar stone ground, and as he looked up, found himself in a very unfamiliar looking town, with flashing light-signs, a weird red looking post-box with a gloved hand pointing, a resturant near by, stairs leading up to a store, crates, more stairs, and another larger door on the next level of town, and two doors behind him.

It was also in the middle of the night, with stars twinkling. Where in the world was he? Shocked and stunned in finding himself in a very unfamiliar town, Zack wobbled a bit, holding a hand to his head, still finding himself dizzy. "I'm feeling woozy."

( **~Where is this?-KH1~** )

But as he looked down, Zack gasped in shock at his pants; he recalled in wearing blue trousers which he upgraded as he grew up since eight years ago, and sandal-like boots and a belt resembling to something he thought was cool and godly enough, and that his belt used to be similiar to Hercules's belt.

But now...Zack saw that his clothes somehow changed and...looked supiciously familiar. He looked at his arms, and gasped, realising that even his body build has changed somehow. Looking around, he found a window at the resturant to his left, and rushed over to get a better look at himself. When he looked, Zack's eyes widened...

At least, he thought he was staring at himself, but something has changed; a lot. He no longer resembled to himself. Okay, that sounded wrong. He looked the same...except...he looked exactly like the Zack in his dreams, except a bit older, and instead of wearing a SOLDIER 2nd Class uniform like Dream-Zack was wearing, this uniform was black, the same as the Dream-Angeal's. Now that was a shocking new development.

"No way! What happened to me!?" Zack exclaimed to himself, as he checked himself out even further, wondering if he was dreaming or not. But after a pinch of his arm and winching in pain, still finding himself in this strange town, he realised that this wasn't a dream at all.

He then remembered the strange light as he sank into the sea, and realised that it was some kind of new magic of something, which also explained how he got here as well. "It must've happened when I wen overboard." Zack said to himself, as he stomps his foot on the graveled ground to test out his new black leather boots.

 _ **World: Traverse Town.**_

After a moment, Zack crossed his arms in thought, thinking how this was seriously not normal. Then he recalled his dream-self or whatever wearing a 2nd Class uniform, not 1st. So why was he wearing a 1st Class uniform? Groaning in frustration, Zack grumbled to himself, "This is getting me nowhere."

The good news is that he still had his sword which was strapped on his back on the new sword hook attacted to his new clothes, so that was a good sign. And he was in a town, so at least he wasn't on a isolated island with wild animals, so there had to be people around, right?

"I guess I'll just take a look around. I just hope it's close to where I want to be." Zack said to himself, though he doubted he was anywhere near the Temple of Zeus. For some reason, he had a feeling he wasn't even close to home anymore. ( **End Where is This?** )

( **~Traverse Town-KH1.5 HD ReMix~** )

After seeing more of his weird dreams which changed again, Zack strangely found he was relieved to be in a decent looking town, despite how weird it looked. Walking up the small stairs to the level of the accessories shop, Zack pushed open the double doors, and walked into the stop down two steps.

The shop was in a single room, and it had a homey feeling to it. It had a small fireplace, a small glass coffee table, and the counter had shelves with items, only a few that Zack recongised. The owner of the shop was a man, possibly in his mid thirties or older, short blonde hair, goggles pushed up against his forehead, a white t-shirt, black pants and boots, short and invisable beard, and he was chewing on a small stick.

He looked gruffy too.

The man noticed Zack, and greeted, expecting the younger man to be a costumer of his store, "Hey there, how can I help you, sonny?"

Despite trying not to cringe in being called 'Sonny', Zack walked up the counter, greeting in return, "Hi there. My name's Zack." deciding to reveal his name to avoid in being dubbed as 'sonny'.

"Zack, huh?" the man thought, then replied, "Pleasure to meetcha. Name's Cid."

He then noticed Zack's slightly small frown, and asked, "Hey, Zack. Why the long face? You lost or somethin'?"

"No!" Zack replied, before shrugging, a bit helplessly, "Well, maybe. Where am I?"

In Cid's confusion as Zack said this, the older man told the younger man about the town which is known as Traverse Town, and how it's always somehow nighttime.

Zack whispered the name, finding this more and more weird. He never heard of Traverse Town before in his life. He then had to ask, "So Cid, you heard about a ship being attacked by a giant squid or something?" referring to the Octopus attack he experienced.

"Nope." Cid shrugged, "Not sure what you're talkin' about, but this is nowhere near the ocean."

Okay, so that light thingy Zack seen sent him off way away from the ocean. He then decided, "Guess I'll take a look around."

"Well, good luck with whatever it is you're doing." Cid said, seeing how Zack was about to leave on an investigation. "If you ever run into trouble, you come to me. I'll look out for you."

Zack nodded his thanks, thought he admitted he can take care of himself, which Cid, while being sarcastic and gruffy, understood the younger man's words.

"What brings you out and about, anyway?" the older man asked, curiously.

"Well," Zack began, rubbing the back of his neck, hoping what he was about to say wouldn't sound crazy, then continued, "I'm looking for some answers, and..." he then added a bit proudly, "I'm training to become a hero."

"A hero, huh? You do kinda look hero-material." Cid thought.

"Uh, thanks?" Zack muttered uncertainly. ( **End Traverse Town** )

* * *

After saying goodbye to Cid, Zack left the accessory shop with some important items the man generously gave him for free for today, and explored the 1st District of Traverse Town. He tried venturing through the two larger doors, but they were locked. So, he ventured up to the one on the higher level, brieflyl meeting another Moogle who went, "Kupo?" as Zack walked by.

As he pushed opened the doors, and walked into another area, the 2nd District with more shops, and hotels, and ahead was a large building with a large bell and more stairs and benches. This town had nothing Greek to it, Zack noted.

But as soon as Zack walked into the area, he paused as another man came screaming past from the right, before the man tumbled and fell, turning around fearfully as a strange looking armored monster, which is a Heartless, (though Zack didn't know that at the moment), which approached him, and to Zack's shock and horror, the man on the ground glowed, and his heart appeared, being swallowed by the Heartless, while the man disappeared into the darkness, before the Heartless vanished.

Gasping in sheer disbelief, Zack was then surrounded by Shadow-smaller sized Heartless, twitching and moving around him.

( **~Hand In Hand-KH: Dream Drop Distance~** )

"What are these things!?" Zack exclaimed, before realising he had no choice but to defend himself from these monsters. These were different compared to the ones he first encountered eight years ago, which he once over heard Aqua and Serenity call those blue things "Unversed" though Zack had no idea what they were back then either. Plus, he didn't want to have his heart to come out like that poor now dead man he witnessed just had.

Drawing out his sword, Zack stood firm and ready to strike against these...whatever the hell these black creepy guys with yellow eyes were. Zack held his sword back, just as three Heartless leaped to attack him...only for Zack to go into a full Tornado-Strike, spinning around twice and critically destroying the heartless instantly, before another leaped at him with a claw-strike attack. But despite hitting a scratch, Zack smacked his sword downward and eliminated the Heartless into oblivion.

"Take that!" Zack yelled, single-handedly slashing at another Heartless just as it jumped to attack him, only for it to fade away into nothing.

More then appeared, and Zack had to dodge-roll out of the way before as an fat Heartless appeared, stomping and waving it's arms all over the place. Seeing how the stomach worked as a defense, Zack rushed over and jumped over it, before he turned around and quickly slashed at it's back, eliminating it as well.

Briefly caught off-guard by a sudden strike of a thunderbolt, Zack cried out, before he turned and saw an strange floating group of electric Heartless, and despite being the air, Zack wasted no time in double striking at these Heartless as well, before jumping over the railing and onto the lower lever of the District, noticing a small fountain on the wall above where he stood just seconds ago.

Seeing five more Heartless, this time, same ones as the one that took the poor man's heart, Zack grunted, readied his sword and charged, jumping and striked at them upwards, downwards, left, right, corner-right down, corner-left down, corner-right up, and corner-left down, yelling, "Here we go! Go! Go! Go!" and finished off with a final single line strike, eliminating the five Heartless in those single hits all at the same time. ( **End Hand In Hand** )

Taking a jug of the potion Cid gave him to heal up his small wounds and slight exhaustion, Zack panted a little, somewhat shocked, both at the Heartless and...how he fought. During that fight, it wasn't the style he trained himself into doing, but similiar, more powerful and...familiar. Ever since gaining this new body, Zack gained some kind of new strength...

Like the strength from the other Zack in his dreams.

"I guess another world is gone." a voice snapped Zack back to reality, coming from his right. Zack quickly turned, alarmed, and saw a man, about two years older than himself with dark brown hair, some kind of semi-gangster clothes, a silver necklace, black gloves, and a wielding some kind of gunblade. Whoever this guy is, Zack realised that he was a tough guy who can fight hard; pretty hard.

"Who are you?" Zack demanded, getting into defence, not wanting to let his guard down.

The man, named Leon, ignored Zack's question, and continued to himself, "And a Soldier is here. But why? Why is this happening?"

Zack didn't like what the other man was saying, and asked, "Huh? Wait, what does that mean?"

"Nevermind." Leon shook his head. He wasn't in the mood for questions. "Now, come with me."

"What?" Zack stepped back, not trusting the guy a single bit. What was this guy talking about? What was going on? "Just who are you?" he asked again.

Leon paused in his steps, quickly realising that Zack didn't trust him. So, he didn't trust the slightly younger man either. Sighing in slight exasperation, he held out his gunblade, and stood in a fighting position, stating, "All right, then have it your way."

Seeing he had no choice but to fight this man, Zack also stood in a fighting position, holding tight grip on the hilt of his sword, glaring at Leon. As far as Zack knew, this was getting more and more crazy.

* * *

 **A/N: Cliff-hanger! Which I hate the most, but can't be helped. Tell me what you think so far, please, if you will, fellow readers. Look out for the next chapter.**


	4. CHAPTER 3: People from Dreams?

**Author's note: I'm not sure if any of you noticed already, but Jump Festa revealed the trailers of KH 2.8 and KH3 from D23 and were both posted online (including Youtube) yesterday.**

 **Not what I had in mind, but at least I was able to see the trailers I thought were another one of those trailers that were very off-line and for "public events" only kind of thing.**

 **Also, questions which I would like you readers to answer in your reviews, if that's okay. If not, then I'm okay with it: Should I change the category to a "Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy VII" crossover?**

 **Let's continue, and remember the important notes here:**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

CHAPTER 3: People from Dreams?

( **~Force Your Way-Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy~** )

Seeing he had no choice but to fight this man, Zack also stood in a fighting position, holding tight grip on the hilt of his sword, glaring at Leon. "This is getting more and more crazy!" he exclaimed.

Leon sped forward in incredible speed that Zack had to quickly dodge out of the way, before he found an opening, and tried his luck with the down-slash. But the older man saw this coming and blocked Zack's attempt with the gunblade, both men struggling to overpower each other, until they both leaped back with skillful cart-wheel back-flip, before landing on their feet again, focusing on each other, and holding tight grip of their weapons in their hands.

Leon then again leaped into the air and tried to attack Zack with an air-strike, but the latter dodge-rolled out of the way with a somersault, and then when he stood up, Zack saw an opening, and preformed a tornado-slicer once again, hitting Leon twice and causing him to cry out in pain and stumble backwards. But then again, Zack inadvertedly left an opening of himself as well, because he didn't see a fire spell casted by the other man and he was hit square into the chest, thrown a few feet away and landed hard onto his back on the ground.

However, Zack quickly drew his legs up in the air and leaped himself back onto his feet to continue the fight, and clashed his sword against Leon's gunblade, neither of them hitting each other nor cutting any serious wounds, but blocked each other's blows, as their weapons clinged and clanged which echoed through out the night air of Traverse Town.

For a split second, Leon manged to find an opening and slashed again at Zack's just, but the latter flinched away, the tip of the blade just missing by an inch, and Zack stumbled backwards, but still kept a firm grip on his sword, not willing to give up just yet. Leon then came at him again, but this time, Zack's eyes narrowed. By unknown strange feeling inside him, Zack drew his left hand to his chest, which glowed in green light and swinged it, and then suddenly, a large chunk of ice appeared above Leon who noticed too late as it came crashing down at him, as it shattered into pieces, but it did cause him to lose focus for a moment or two.

Zack's eyes widened as he realised what just happened, and asked in disbelief, "Holy! Did I just do that?" though the feeling was somehow and strangely familiar, but he couldn't pin point on what it could be or how it actually happened.

Not wanting to waste time and seeing his change to possibly win this fight and then demand answers on what is going on, Zack drew his sword back, bend on his knees, and then jumped skillfully high in the air, yelling out as he fell and parrelled the sword down at Leon with a slash, knocking the latter to the ground once more, and that Leon dropped his gunblade while still holding it's hilt and knelt on one knee, exhausted and defeated, while Zack landed safely back onto the ground.( **~End Force Your Way~** )

Zack, seeing that he won, but it wasn't a good kind of victory like back at the Coliseum, sheathed his sword away and was about to calmly approach the other man, but then suddenly, he felt a powerful and painful jolt in his head, like he was just electricuded in his mind. Crying out suddenly, Zack clutched his head, as his vision was becoming blurry and he was starting to black out.

"What?...my...head..." Zack muttered, as his balance was faltering, and before he knew it, his world went black, and collasped forward onto the ground.

Seeing this happen and thinking it was just exhaustion that got to Zack, Leon healed himself with a cure magic, and slowly stood up, looking down at the fallen man on the ground. Who was he? Where did he come from?

"Aw, lost to a fight, didn't we, Leon?" A young female voice teasingly said behind him.

Leon turned around to see a fourteen year old girl with short black hair, dark brown-black eyes, wearing a green short tank top, a yellow scarf, a black head band around her forehead, blue shorts, white long socks with orange shoes, and orange long fingerless gloves. She was also wearing a netting kind of top underneath her green tank top. It was Yuffie who approached the older man.

"I went easy on him." Leon admitted. Yes, he went easy on Zack who didn't know it yet. He then wondered to himself outloud, "A soldier...where did this man come from?"

Things are getting a lot worse than they thought.

* * *

( **~Theme of Crisis Core "Dreams and Pride"-Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII~** )

(Fragments from Zack's dream)

 _Fragment 5: Zack managed to catch up to Angeal on the path, on their way to the Tamblin Fortress of Wutai. "So Angeal, what's the deal with_ "dumbapples" _?" Zack asked._

 _Angeal paused in his steps, and explained, "The official name is Banora White. The trees bear fruit at random times during the year." he shrugged at the last part of that sentence, then contineud, "Because of that, the townspeople affectionately call them dumbapples."_

 _Zack also stopped, and listened. He found it pretty weird for he has never heard of any kind of trees bearing fruit at random times during the year. Normally, certain fruits grow in either Winter, Autumn, Summer and/or Spring every year, but not at random times. He could now see why people of Banora called the fruit Dumbapples more often then Banora White._

 _"The local farms had plenty of them to spare." Angeal continued, smirking a bit at the memory._

 _"Oh really?" Zack asked, seeing where this is coming from. "So you stole them."_

 _"We were poor, Zack." Angeal pointed out._

 _Zack bit back a laugh, while saying, "Nice excuse!"_

 _"But even then, I had my honor." Angeal continued, thinking back of his own childhood memories. "The largest Banora White tree grew on a wealthy man's estate. It was rumored that those apples tasted the best."_

 _The older man smiled at the thoughts, concluding, "But I never stole from that tree, because the wealthy man's son was my friend."_

 _Zack had his hands behind his head, as he walked about his friend, pointing out, "If he was a friend, you should have just asked for some!"_

 _Seeing how the teen didn't quite get it, Angeal stated, "Honor can be quite a burden at times."_

 _The two had a moment of silence, while Zack now placed his hands on his hips, trying to understand the meaning of the story, but that didn't make any kind of sense on how it was related to the goal of becoming SOLDIER 1st Class. Turning back to his mentor, Zack asked, "...And what exactly does this have to do with me?"_

 _"No story is not worth hearing." was Angeal's reply, before he walked away, and bursted into laughter, much to Zack's disblief._

 _"What? That's it?" Zack asked, shocked. He then rushed to catch up, exclaiming, "Yeah, well, thanks a lot!"_ ( **~End Theme of Crisis Core "Dreams and Pride"~** )

( **~Treasured Memories; KH1~** )

 _Fragment 6: "B Unit will set off an explosion. That's our cue." said Angeal._

 _"The diversion will allow us to infiltrate." Zack understood too well._

 _"Right. I'll set the bomb inside the fortress. You'll charge the front gate, and..."_

 _"Uh-huh, and? And? And? And?" Zack was getting excited._

 _"Indulge yourself."_

 _Fragment 7: When Zack noticed Angeal holding his very large sword and pressed his forehead onto the blade like a prayer, before shething away, the younger man couldn't help but ask, "You know, I've never actually seen you use that. Don't you think it's sort of a waste?"_

 _"Use brings about wear...tear...and rust. And that's a real waste."_

 _"You're serious, aren't you?"_

 _Angeal smirked, "Yeah. I can be pretty cheap."_

 _Zack chuckled, "Yeah, no kidding..."_

 _Fragment 8: Zack reaches the Fortress and was about to go up the stairs when a voice caused him to stop._

 _"One, avoid unnecessary training! Two, protect Wutai at all costs! Three, ugly Shinra SOLDIER dudes...must be PUNISHED!"_

 _'_ Ugly Shinra SOLDIER dudes? _' Zack thought. He looked up and saw a figure standing on the top of the steps. He asked, "Who're you?"_

 _"I'm Wutai's greatest warrior!" said...a young girl with short hair, and wearing blue and yellow. She seemed tough, but..."If you wanna go further, you have to go through me!"_

 _"A kid...?" Zack muttered, in mental disbelief at the girl who he didn't know that it was Yuffie. She looked no older than nine years old. He didn't want to fight her, and that this was a war happening. So, he told her in his best adult tone, "You shouldn't be playing here, it's dangerous! Go home to your parents."_

 _Surprisingly, Yuffie leaped over him she landed behind him, saying, "You're the one who's going home! If you insist on going any further, you'll have a fight on your hands!"_

 _As the young girl approached him, Zack was stuck. He really shouldn't fight a child, but at the same time, he had work to do. What was he supposed to do now? Luckly, Yuffie stood in front of him and punched...or, more like air-punched and neither one hit him, and were three inches away._

 _"Whap! Pow! Bam! Take that, bad guy!" Yuffie exclaimed, and she looked like she was breaking a sweat._

 _Zack stared for a few moments, then decided to play along and 'fell' onto his knees, holding onto his stomach painfully, exclaiming, "AHHH! Nooo! You got me!"_

 _Yuffie stood up straight, feeling rather proud, not realising she was being tricked. "There! That'll teach you to mess with me! Once again, I've brought peace to Wutai!" and with that, she ran off._

 _Once the girl was out of sight, Zack stood up, and sighed. "Boy oh boy..." wondering if he was this bad of an child when he was her age. "You gotta admire that energy." he admitted._

 _Fragment 9: Zack defeated two large monsters and was about to leave when he was attacked by a third and larger monster, and was hit against the piller, about to be finished off, when the monster was finished off by Angeal who stood there, his Buster Sword in hand._

 _"That's one more you owe me." Angeal said._

 _Zack tried to smile, but in doing so made him dizzy and he tried to clear out the dizzy spells from his head. "You lost your focus." said Angeal who approached him._

 _"Uh, yeah." Zack agreed. Wasn't his fault that a third monster appeared out of nowhere. He then noticed the sword, and muttered, "Oh, sorry if your sword got any wear, tear, or rust on it."_

 _"You're a little more important than my sword." Angeal said, sheathing away his sword onto his back, then added as he made a small gesture with his finger and thumb, "But just a little." chuckling and held out his hand to help his student up._

 _Finally, Zack smiled, replying, "Thanks." and took Angeal's hand with his own._

( **~End Treasured Memories~** )

* * *

Everything was black...Zack had no idea if he was still dreaming or not. But the dreams...were getting more and more complicated. No longer was he seeing the same vision of Sephiroth attempting to kill him...but instead...it was like he was seeing a very long aftermaths and more...he had no idea what they mean, but at the same time...they felt familiar. But why?

" _Are you alright?_ " A female, gentle and somewhat angel-like, echoed through out the darkness.

"Mom?" Zack asked. He couldn't see anything...not even his body. "I...I want to find out about these dreams. But, I don't know how I can do it..." and this was true...he didn't know anything right now.

" _Hell-llooo!_ " The voice called again.

"Mom?"

Just then...everything was filled with Light and...

* * *

"Hell-llooo!"

Zack opened his eyes, finding himself looking up at a young girl, with brown hair that was tied up into a plat which reached at half of her back, wearing a long pink sleeveless dress, brown boots, her skin was half pale half tan, and her eyes were a beautiful emerald.

Seeing the young man waking up, the girl cheered.

Groaning while waking up, Zack asked, half expectingly, "...Heaven?"

"Not quite." The girl smiled with a gentle smile, holding her hands behind her back. "A hotel room in the alley." She added.

Zack sat up, still gazing at the girl, who looked around a year younger than himself. Still, she looked so young and so...beautiful. "An Angel...?" he asked. Once again, his thing over beautiful girls was kicking in. Sure, he was aware he was lying on a bed in a hotel room, which, again, didn't seem like he was in Greece at all.

The girl shook her head and replied, "No, I'm Aerith."

Aerith...even her name was beautiful.

"Sorry about my friend beating you up." Aerith continued, looking a little apologetic.

Suddenly remembering the guy he fought earlier, and, somehow sensing a connection, Zack asked, "You mean that guy I fought earlier?" suddenly realising he did look supicious, and rubbing the back of his neck, sheepishly, "Sorry about that."

"It's okay." Aerith shook her head. "It was a misunderstanding."

That made sense. "So you saved me, huh?" Zack asked.

"Not really." Aerith answered, " _"Hell-llooo!"_ That's all I did."

The black-haired man laughed, then sat up on the edge of the bed, and Aerith giggled.

"Thank you so much, Aerith." Zack said, then introduced himself, "I'm Zack."

"Looks like sleeping beauty is awake." a new voice joined them. Zack and Aerith both looked at the door closer to the bed, with Yuffie stand there, and Leon leaning against the door, arms crossed and not looking at anyone. It was Yuffie who spoke, and, suddenly seeing a younger version of her in teenaged Yuffie's place for a split second, Zack was surprised. So the girl he'd seen in his dreams is real?

First himself, then Angeal, then Sephiroth, and now this young girl? Zack couldn't figure out what was going on. "Uh...who're you?" he asked, knowing that calling her a kid would probably offend her.

"Me?" Yuffie asked, then introduced herself, a little too overconfidentily, "I'm the great Ninja Yuffie!"

' _Even her introducing herself is similiar to that other kid in my dreams. This is seriously weird._ ' Zack thought to himself.

"I think you might've overdone it, Squall." Yuffie stated to the older man in the room.

Leon rolled his eyes, correcting the youngest person in the room, "It's Leon, not Squall.", and hating the fact that she always called him "Squall" once and a while. That name was dead to him.

Seeing how the group seem to know each other, Zack couldn't help but mutter, "Uh...you guys live together?"

"Kind of." Aerith answered.

Yuffie shrugged, and she continued for her older friend, "Yeah, that's the thing. You were lucky that you can fight, otherwise those creatures would've gotten you. Thankfully, you only had some minor injuries due to the fight you and Leon had."

That Zack knew. The only reason he passed out was the strange headache that caused him to pass out, and that never happened to him before.

"I had to make sure that you weren't causing trouble." Leon added, bringing Zack back to reality. "Considering that you're a soldier. Still, hard to believe, that you came here."

"Huh?" Now Zack was definately confused. "Can someone please explain to me what's going on here?"

Seeing how confused Zack was, Aerith, Yuffie and Leon looked at each other, and all nodded. Apparently, they came to a concludsion that he had no idea where he was or how he even got here. "Okay." Aerith began, "Did you know about other worlds beside your own?"

"Other worlds!?" Zack exclaimed, surprised. He has been briefly to Mount Olympus with Mickey to help Hercules to save Zeus and the other Gods from Hades and the Titans, and to the Underworld with Hercules to rescue Meg's soul, but never to other worlds. He then realised that it made somewhat more sense; how he ended up in a town after nearly drowning, and was no where near the ocean, how the town itself was nowhere near Greece. "...wait, I'm in another world? No wonder I'm lost. I never knew about other worlds before."

"It's been secret, because it's never been connected, and everything was in peace, until seven years ago and now." Aerith continued as she sat in a nearby chair, while Yuffie sat next to Zack on the bed. The oldest girl continued, "When the Heartless came, everything changed."

"Heartless?" Zack asked.

"The ones who attacked you, you remember?" Yuffie supplied.

Remembering the monsters he encountered earlier, Zack asked, "The weird black looking things?" and the others in the room nodded.

"Those without hearts." Leon answered.

"The darkness in people's hearts-that's what attracts them." Yuffie explained, while trying not to shiver.

"And there is darkness within every heart." Leon concluded.

Zack cringed a little, "Ouch." but then he remembered-eight years ago...when he first arrived in Thebes...how Hades controlled him with Darkness to lure Terra into the darkness during their match, and how Terra and Grovyle saved his life and helped him break free from the power of darkness.

(Flash-Back: During the events of "Sailor Moon: Birth By Sleep")

"Are you alright?" Asked Grovyle with the necklace with a blue gem.

"You gonna make it?" Terra added.

Fourteen year old Zack looked up and nodded, "Yeah. I'm finally free." then he looked around, but noticed that Hades isn't around. "Where is-"

"He's gone." Terra answered.

Frustrated by his own weakness and how Hades controlled him, Zack pounded at the ground angrily, "Man, how could I let a guy like him control me? I'll never live it down."

Terra then held out a hand, and helped Zack up to his feet. "Thanks," the latter said, then muttered, "Um..." for he realised he didn't know the older man's name.

"Terra." Terra answered.

(End Flash-Back)

Now it made perfect sense. Zack was suddenly more grateful than ever that Terra and Grovyle had saved his life. "That explains something, I guess...good thing Terra saved my life." he muttered outloud.

"Who?" Yuffie asked, curiously.

Zack shrugged, "A friend of mine I met eight years ago, in my world." then muttered, suddenly realising that with Heartless around, that meant possibly even his world was at risk. He remembered Herc' mentioning about a black shooting star. Was it the Heartless? "I hope everyone's okay." thinking about all of his friends and his parents. He wondered if he would ever return home.

He then asked to the others, "What about you guys? Do you live in this world?"

"Only for the past seven years." Aerith shook her head in sadness. "It's so sad."

Yuffie nodded, in a hint of getting upset, but she was trying to hold it in, while she explained, "We were forced to escape our world when it was invaded by someone named Maleficent seven years ago. Traverse Town is really a world were those who lost their worlds end up."

Those who lost their worlds end up...Zack suddenly felt a twinge of fear about his world and hoped that it didn't...ended up disappeared or anything.

"I doubt your world disappeared, but don't hold your breath." Leon stated, seeing the grim look on Zack's face.

"I see...I guess that giant squid did a lot of damage." Zack muttered, thinking back of the giant octopus. "Not to mention, I've changed too, I mean, at least my body did." he added, gazing at his arms and hands again.

Seeing the confused looks on the others, Zack realised the weirdness, and shrugged, embarrassed, "Sorry. I know it sounds crazy, but I've been having strange dreams about a guy who looks like me, sounds like me, acts like me, and even worse, has the same name as me."

He then went into details of his strange dreams and how he woke up in the body of his dreamself, even Zack himself had no clue on how it even happened. He finished up by explaining to Yuffie on how his dreamself met a younger version of her, which confused the young ninja.

"A younger me?" Yuffie asked, puzzled. "That's something new."

"That's very strange." Aerith admitted, and Zack shrugged in agreement.

Leon on other hand, seemed to have come to a conclusion, "I hate to say this, but you'll probably gonna end up having more of those dreams."

"Hey, I didn't ask for them." Zack said to the slightly older man.

Yuffie giggled, and added, "Nobody asked Maleficent to come and take over our home either, or a giant squid to attack you."

"So, tough luck." Leon said.

Sighing and falling onto his back on the bed, Zack placed his hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling, grumbling, "Everything's so complicated...I wonder if Angeal is okay too." worrying about his mentor he hasn't seen in eight years either.

"You know what? I really don't know." Leon replied.

Sighing again, Zack sits up, and then stands up, and said, "Well, standing around here isn't gonna solve anything. I've gotta find out what's going on, and fast." and at the trio's stares, he continued, determinated, "I'm not gonna spend the rest of my life not knowing what's going on." before asking, "Isn't there a way for me to get to other worlds and for me to get back to my own world?"

"You sure you want to do this?" Leon asked, puzzled.

"I've faced dangers before. This'll be no different..." Zack trailled off, and rubbed the back of his neck, correcting himself, "Well, at least not as different as I think." as he had faced Titans made of moving rocks, volcanic lava, massive tornados, freezing ice blocks, and a giant cyclops with Hercules and Mickey a year ago. Not to mention the Hydra which had several heads each time heads are cut off of that thing.

"You know..." Aerith began, "It can be possible." she agreed. She wanted to help Zack, and even Yuffie nodded in agreement.

Leon sighed, expecting as much. "I guess."

( **~Ninja Girl From Wutai-Dirge of Cerberus Final Fantasy VII~** )

Yuffie then had an idea, and pipped up, "Hey, maybe Merlin can help."

"Merlin?" Zack asked, looking at Yuffie who also stands up, maybe a little to excitedly for a girl of her age.

"Yup!" Yuffie began, "He's a sorcerer! I bet he can help ya out, and I know exactly where he lives, and I can take you there."

Zack blinked. "Uh...isn't that too dangerous? I mean, with the Heartless and all..."

"If you go by yourself, you'll end up getting lost. Besides, Aerith can't fight(no offence), and I don't think you and Leon get on so well, so that leaves the Great Ninja Yuffie to lead up!" Yuffie explained.

In the end, everyone knew that she was right, even if Aerith has been training a bit on her magic skills. Leon sighed, then looked at Zack and Yuffie, cautioning, "Be careful out there. The Heartless are running around, slowly increasing their numbers." before looking sternly at Zack, "Don't let anything happen to Yuffie."

"No problem." Zack nodded in agreement.

Hearing this made Yuffie quite annoyed as she glared at Leon and exclaimed, "I can look after myself, you know. I happen to be the greatest ninja out!"

Aerith giggled and pointed out to her youngest friend, "Yuffie, you know that Leon is only looking out for us. Especially since you're the youngest."

Yuffie pouted, while Zack looked uncomfortable, and blinked nervously. This was going to be a long day. ( **~End Ninja Girl From Wutai~** )

* * *

 **A/N: I know this is probably slow, and some confusion in the flash-back of eight years ago, but I can give you a hint, though it will contain spoilers if neither of you have read either of my "Sailor Moon Continuum" parts one and two stories.**

 **In "Sailor Moon: Birth By Sleep", Terra is teamed up with a Grovyle, Ventus travels alone, Aqua travels with a "Sailor Moon" though it isn't the same as the main protagonist of the series, and finally, King Mickey is teamed up with a young boy who is Grovyle's partner.**

 **In the meantime, while we wait for the next chapter(and I know I'm being slow again, and I'm very sorry), please review and/or continue your reviews, fellow readers, and I'll see you again soon.**

 **Merry Christmas!**


	5. CHAPTER 4: The traitorous SOLDIER

**Author's note: I changed the category into the KH/FFVII crossover section due to the confusion. There will also be some changes into the FFVII CC storyline to suit this story a bit better and fix a few things the game failed to make sense. I'm also adding some of the DMV scenes from the original game as well.**

 **Also to avoid further confusion, please read "Sailor Moon-Continuum" part 1 and part 2, though it will reveal spoilers. However, I am in the progress of re-writting it to make it a bit more clear with new added contents.**

 **Let's continue, and remember the important notes here:**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

CHAPTER 4: The traitorous SOLDIER.

After being told to be careful(and also to keep Yuffie safe), Zack followed the young ninja through the alley and back into the Second District of Traverse Town to the place where Merlin the powerful Wizard would be, in hopes to help Zack discover a way to get back home and seek out the answers to his dreams and why his body changed. On top of that, a couple of people from his dreams are real, but at the same time, none of them recall anything like Wutai or Midgar. Heck, Zack was still finding it strange himself.

Just then, three more Heartless appeared from the ground, and blocked their path. Zack got into defense and stood in front of Yuffie to protect her, reaching out for his sword. "Yuffie, leave this to me!" he said.

"Oh these guys are too easy. Let me handle them." Yuffie smirked, and before Zack could protest, the fourteen year old took out a small sharp bladed Shuriken, and she rushed over towards the Heartless. Yuffie then swinged and threw her weapon like a frisbee with half of her might and it spun while hit the three Heartless shadows, destroying them instantly. When the shuriken spun back towards Yuffie, she caught it skillfully, and grinned in victory.

When she turned to give Zack a victory sign, the young man was speechless. Yuffie was completely different compared to her younger self in Zack's dream earlier.

"Whoa..." Zack muttered. He knew that he was skilled when he was Yuffie's age, but unlike most girls he'd seen, she handled it like a pro. He then grinned nervously and muttered, "Heh, remind me to never get on your bad side."

"Well, I'm not the great ninja for nothing." Yuffie said, proud of herself. "I've been training since I was very little, so, I'm not a kid anymore."

Zack shook his head, placing his hands on his hips, and muttered to himself, "Boy oh boy. Phil would be shocked if he saw her coming to the Coliseum." also thinking back of Aqua and her silver-haired friend named 'Sailor Moon', though Zack had a slight suspicion that the silver-haired girl had a different name, but he never really thought about it much.

Still, he made a promise to Leon, even if Zack had seen just now that Yuffie is old enough to defend for herself. Not to mention that she self-trained herself in her ninja skills.

Or maybe she was born to be a Ninja.

* * *

Following Yuffie's direction, Zack and Yuffie were in the lower part of the Third District, where a fountain with lights and a dog couple sat in the corner. Just making it to the middle, Zack couldn't help but wonder how Yuffie, Leon and Aerith got to Traverse Town in the first place.

"So um, Yuffie." Zack spoke up, while trying to be careful in not huring the girl's feelings. "What was your home town like?"

Yuffie stopped in her tracks at the question, causing Zack to stop as well. The young ninja thought about it, then turned to him and shrugged, answering, "To tell the truth, ever since we got here, everyone forgot what our home looked like. All I remember is being there, it's name being Radiant something, but now it's called Hollow Bastion. Maleficent is an evil witch who came with a bunch of Heartless."

"A witch, huh?" Zack muttered, troubled by these new information. Hades was bad enough due to being the Lord of the Underworld and God of the Dead. Curiosity getting the better of him, he added, "What did she look like?"

The young ninja shook her head, saying, "I only saw a quick glance of her; She was mean, having a dumb old staff, green skin and black worn out robes." trying not to shudder at the memories of that. Seven years ago, she was, well, seven years old, if you do your maths properly.

"She sounds like an old hag." Zack thought, getting the image of what Maleficent looked like in his head, and, the very thought of it made him shudder a little.

Yuffie nodded in agreement, but then continued, "But I think what also attracted Maleficent was because our lord of our home, Ansem, was studing the Heartless." becoming sad as she added, "Sadly, his reports were scatterted to other worlds. So far, some worlds are still in tact."

Zack couldn't help but feel sorry for Yuffie, and for Leon and Aerith too. To think something like that happened to the three of them, and other people in their world, having been forced to flee and spend the rest of their lives in this town, Zack couldn't imagine what it would be like. He then realised that he was feeling a bit home sick himself, but he also wished he could help the others. Not to mention that Yuffie most likely lost her parents, so, she was on her own. Come to think of it, Leon and Aerith were young too, so, they were alone as well.

"Must be rough." He muttered.

The young female ninja nodded, then smiled a little and stated, "At least I still have my friends." referring to Leon and Aerith, adding with a giggle, "Even old man Cid."

"No way!" Zack stuttered, remembering the guy he met in the store back in the First District. Even Cid came from Hollow Bastion or Radiant whatever-it-was?

Just then, the same powerful and painful jolt he felt earlier after he defeated Leon hit his head again, and Zack gasped breathlessly, and again, his vision was becoming blurry and darkening.

"Zack!?" Yuffie cried out, alarmed, but Zack couldn't hear her, or even realise she was panicking, because in the next second...he blacked out again.

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's dream)

 _Fragment 10: As Zack and Angeal head back to the helicopter and had left Fort Tamblin, the two stopped as they heard someone running towards them. Both SOLDIERs turned around to see Lazard approach. The Director looked out of breath, but the man, being full in business, hid it, but that didn't mean he was like the President._

 _"My apologises for being late." Said Lazard. "I have to admit that I'm not used to being out on the field."_

 _Angeal shook his head, saying to his surperior, "It's perfectly fine, Director. You didn't have to come."_

 _The Director of SOLDIER shook his head, stating, "I wanted to see the results of the operation at the end of the war. It is my duty to see through it personally." before turning to Zack and said his name, to which the younger SOLDIER stood in attention. "You performed your duties admirably at Fort Tamblin. You took out a lot of enemy units for us. I was only expecting you to distract the enemies. Most impressive."_

 _Zack grinned at this._

 _"You have trained him expertly, Angeal." Lazard praised to Angeal, "He has promising potential."_

 _The 1st Class SOLDIER shrugged, stating, "He's still young, but you're right. Zack had always had potential ever since I first layed my eyes on him."_

 _While Zack blinked in confusion at his mentor's statement, Angeal then told them, "Sephiroth is waiting. Let's hurry."_

 _Hearing that name while Lazard and Angeal walked off, Zack was shocked and amazed. "Sephiroth? You mean_ _ **the**_ _Sephiroth?" he asked. The very thought of actually meeting the man himself for real brought excitment to him. "Awesome! I'm finally gonna meet the hero Sephiroth for real!"_

( **~Encounter-FFVII: Crisis Core~** )

 _But then suddenly, Zack heard movement behind him and turned just in time to see strange men with carved daggers surround him. Instantly seeing them as enemies, Zack unsteathed his sword and brought them out._

 _Fragment 11: After Zack defeated the strange new enemies, he caught up with Angeal and Lazard, only for all three of them to see two more men in red uniforms and masks on the ground, dead. Then two more appeared behind them and all turned to see. Zack got into defence, but Angeal placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him._

 _"Leave them to me." Angeal told his pupil, "Zack, you take the Director to safety."_

 _"In the meantime, contact Sephiroth." Lazard commanded._

 _Angeal shook his head, stating, "Zack is more than enough, and I can handle them. Now go."_

 _Despite being worried for his mentor and friend, Zack nodded, then turned to the Director and said, "This way, sir." leading the Director to safety while Angeal took on the strange enemies._

 _Once the two made it into the safe distance, two Infantryman scouts appeared, and both sighed in relief at the sight of Lazard being unharmed. "Thank goodness you're alright, Director." said one of the Infantryman._

 _Nodding, Lazard then turned to Zack and told him, "I will be alright, Zack. Go and assist Angeal."_

 _"On it!" Zack replied with determination, and while making sure Lazard was safely taken away by the two Infantryman, Zack made a back track to where he came from to find his mentor, calling out to him. But by the time Zack returned, the only thing he found were the dead bodies of the mysterious men._

 _Angeal is nowhere to be found. Nothing bad happend to him, did it?_

 _Taking a closer look to the soldiers, Zack's brow furrowed and he frowned. "Huh? These guys aren't Wutai Troops. They're not even ShinRa Troops." he thought to himself._

 _But before Zack could take an ever closer look, all of the sudden, he noticed something glowing and his eyes widened as a red fire materia was floating by itself. Before Zack could ponder on what was happening, the materia glowed so brightly he had to shield is eyes with his arm. When the light faded, he suddenly found himself in a fiery hot place, not even in the forest._

 _Before Zack could think where he was, he heard a growl behind him and spun around and he gasped in shock. It was a huge beast that had two goat legs, looking like a demon with horns, and sharp clawed hands, fire spreading all over it's body. Zack suddenly realised what this thing was;_

 _It was the fire Summon, Ifrit, which can also be found in the Fire Cavern near Balamb Garden and used as GF for SeeDs._

 _"A summon? Where did it come from?" Zack asked, before taking out his sword to fight it._

 _However, just before Zack could do anything, suddenly someone rushed to the side of Ifrit and with a single swift swing of the mauseme, the Summon quickly exploded into nothing. Everything then around Zack and the other person returned to normal and they were back in the forest in Wutai._ ( **~End Encounter~** )

 _When Zack looked up as he puts away his sword, his eyes widened as he realised who just saved him. The familiar long hair, the long sword. Sephiroth. He just appeared out of nowhere and had defeated Ifrit in a single blow, not even breaking a sweat, and not even tired. Zack stood frozen in awe. Sephiroth really was much more powerful than he had ever imagined. Not even the simulation version of Sephiroth was this strong._

 _"Holy..." Zack muttered, speechless._

( **~Organization XIII-KH: Birth by Sleep~** )

 _Sephiroth didn't even notice Zack's shocked expression. Instead, the Legendary SOLDIER turned his attention to the dead bodies of the mysterious enemies. Kneeling on one knee, Sephiroth took off the helmet of one of them, and he was met with the face of man with orange-red hair._

 _"Genesis?" Sephiroth muttered, frowning._

 _When Zack saw this as well, he asked in confusion, "The missing SOLDIER 1st Class?" not understanding at all. That couldn't be right._

 _When Sephiroth took off the helmet of the other dead soldier, both of them saw that this one also looked like Genesis. Zack was shocked. "They're the same."_

 _"A Genesis copy." Sephiroth muttered in realization._

 _"Copy?" Zack asked, stunned. "You mean there are human copies?" He never heard or seen human copies or clones before. He heard some few rumors of copies before, but never thought there would be living copies-human copies at the least._

 _Instead of answering Zack's question, Sephiroth instead questioned, "Where is Angeal?"_

 _Remembering that Angeal was missing, Zack looked around, just as lost, as he answered, "Last time I saw him he was about to fight these guys. When I came here, he wasn't here."_

 _Sighing, Sephiroth muttered, "So he's gone too." standing up._

 _"What? What do you mean?" Zack asked, suddenly getting a bad feeling about this._

 _In a hint of anger, Sephiroth muttered, "It makes sense. Genesis deserted, and made copies of himself to attack us. This means Angeal has done the same as well. They're traitors."_

 _Shocked and suddenly angered by this theory, Zack, not wanting to believe that Angeal, his mentor and best friend, would do anything like this, to side Genesis who betrayed ShinRa, would end up betraying the company as well...much less betray Zack._

 _"No!" Zack nearly shouted, "I know Angeal. He wouldn't betray us. Never!" something happened to Angeal and not because of betrayal. It has to be that case._

 _But Sephiroth remained silent._

 _Instead, the two looked for Angeal, but could not find him, and as much as Zack didn't want to leave without his mentor, he had no choice and followed Sephiroth towards the ShinRa chopper that would take them back to Midgar. Lazard was waiting by the side of it._

 _"Good work, both of you." Lazard praise. He then frowned as he realised there was one person missing. "Where is Angeal?"_

 _Sephiroth, motionless as ever, replied, "He is nowhere to be found. I'll explain later." quietly adding, "I fear that the situation is growing more grave by the minute. We must be prepared."_

 _Zack lowered his head. Why would Angeal betray them? Much less betray Zack and leave him behind? None of it made sense._

 _What was going on?_

( **~End Organization XIII~** )

* * *

"Hey! Zack! Wake up!"

Hearing Yuffie's voice, Zack slowly woke up, finding himself lying on his back for the second time today. Groaning, he slowly sat up as his world returned to him. He just had more of the strange dreams that didn't make sense, but at the same time, it made his stomach twist uncomfortably. Human copies? That didn't sound good.

"These dreams are driving me nuts." Zack grumbled to himself, as he stood up. He then noticed Yuffie having a mixture of a concerned and annoyed look on her face.

"You realise how worried sick I was!?" Yuffie cried out. "I thought for a split second that you were dead!"

Zack cringed, both at Yuffie's loud tone and her hysterics, though he could hardly blame her. "Sorry about that." he replied, shrugging. But then he thought about the Angeal in his dreams. Why would he desert the other Zack like that?

"Looking for someone?" an unfamiliar voice echoed around the two. Zack and Yuffie, startled and alarmed, looked around for the source of the voice, but can't see anyone. On alert, Zack brought out his sword while Yuffie took out her Shuriken, both getting into defense.

"How long has it been since I last saw you?" The voice continued, and sounded like it was smirking. It was a male voice, and for some reason, Zack felt it was familiar, but he couldn't figure out how or why.

"Who's there!?" Zack demanded.

"I'd rather settle down if I were you, Zack." The voice chuckled, and Zack's eyes widened in shock. How did the voice know his name? Where was it coming from?

Yuffie, in similiar confusion, yelled out, "Show yourself, you creep!"

( **~The Summoned-FFVII: Crisis Core~** )

"Maybe a little reminder can help." the voice contiuned.

Before Zack and Yuffie could ask again, suddenly, a red crystal marble appeared, floating. Zack's eyes widened as he quickly remembered the Summon in his dream. Even Ifrit is real!?

Suddenly realising that Yuffie is in serious danger if she gets caught in this, Zack cried out, "Look out!" and pushed her out of the way just as the red crystal glowed brightly and Zack was absorded into a surrounding red area. Yuffie landed hard on the ground outside of it, and when she recovered, she was horrified on what happened.

"Zack!" Yuffie screamed.

Inside the fiery area, as if he was transported into another dimension, like in his dreams, Zack came face to face with Ifrit. The black-haired man held a tight grip on his sword, preparing to fight. Zack felt his heart beginning to race. Zack knew one thing; this beast wasn't going to let him go without a fight, as the dream he'd seen earlier proved that. Zack had to trust in his own abilities, for the real Sephiroth wasn't here to save him, and he wasn't going to back down either.

Zack ran towards Ifrit. The beast, having been waiting, then jumped into the air. Zack rolled to the side out of the way as Ifrit landed, bring his enormous fist crashing onto the ground. The impact split the rock wide open and sent shards flying through the air. Ifrit was unfazed and ploughed straight through them, charging towards the swordsman. Zack dived out of the way again as the beast charged past him. When he got to his feet he turned to attack, only to find that Ifrit had also turned and was heading towards him.

With no time to dodge, Zack braced his body for the collision. When it came he cried out as his whole body was jarred by the force. Somehow he managed to hold his ground, and he pushed back against his opponent.

Ifrit snarled. Up close, Zack could feel the heat rising from the beast's body.' _It's like he's practically made from fire_ ,' he wondered. Then he scowled. ' _No. I gotta focus!_ '

He dug in his heels. Ifrit responded by pushing harder. After some effort, the beast began to push him back. Zack pressed his heels harder into the stone, but his soles slid across the surface. Realising that he was winning, Ifrit grinned and pushed even harder. Soon Zack was being forced back at an increasing rate, moving faster and faster.

Glancing back over his shoulder Zack saw, to his alarm, the edge of the platform. Realising that the beast intends to force him over the edge, Zack braced himself and then dove to the side. The sudden loss of resistance caused Ifrit to stagger and fall. His shoulder slammed into Zack, knocking him onto the ground. After he had recovered from that, Zack turned back and raised his sword to cut Ifrit down while his back was turned.

He never got the chance. After falling, Ifrit planted his palms against the ground and then kicked with his feet. His clawed feet slammed into Zack's torso, forcing the air out of his lungs. He was thrown back across the platform. He landed and rolled several feet before at last coming to a stop.

The swordsman got to his feet. His chest was aching, and it hurt to breathe. Zack clutched at his chest as he bent down to pick up his sword, which had skidded along with him.

Before his fingers could close around the weapon, darkness fell over him. Without looking up Zack leapt backwards. A fireball slammed into the ground where he had stood, forcing the ground to split wide open. Zack was hit by the shockwave and thrown back again. His sword, also caught up in the blast, went the other way.

Zack skidded to a stop. He looked up and saw that another fireball was heading towards him. He heard a whoosh and saw that another one was approaching from his left. A second whoosh followed and he saw a third one flying up from his right. Zack clenched his jaw. Crouching down low, he prepared himself and then broke into a sprint, dashing for his sword.

The fireballs soared overhead. As though responding to his movements, they turned in the air and headed towards him. Sweat ran down Zack's brow as he pushed his body harder, his body aching with each step. His sword was just ahead. Zack stretched out his arm, reaching for it.

The fireballs converged and struck the ground. The impact made the ground shudder and lurch. A cloud of smoke and flame swept across the battlefield, and everything was covered in an impenetrable fog. Ifrit, who was watching nearby, let out a roar of triumph. Then he stopped in mid-roar and looked ahead.

Before him, the clouds parted. Zack emerged, his sword in his hand, the blade glowing from the heat of the fire. The firelight was reflected in his eyes as he ran out of the flames and charged straight at Ifrit. The summon started to leap out of the way, but before his feet could leave the ground Zack thrust out and plunged his blade deep into the beast's chest. Ifrit roared.

Zack withdrew his blade. Without waiting for the beast to retaliate, he spun and brought his sword down in a slashing arc across the beast's torso. A deep red slash marked where the blade landed, oozing blood.

But Zack was not done yet. He then closed his eyes and, remembering how he suddenly casted fire earlier, thought of ice, and then he felt his hands become cold of ice. Zack looked at his hands to find them having Ice magic slide into the weapon, filling it with as much power as it could hold. This added strength weighed heavily upon the weapon, and, realising that melted ice turned into water and fire was weak against water, and Zack could feel it straining to contain it. He had to act fast.

Leaping into the air, Zack raised the sword high and brought it down with all his strength, straight onto the beast's head.

The reaction was immediate. A gust of icy blizzards released from the blade, descending and sweeping around Ifrit. Stunned by the blow, Ifrit toppled forward. Zack, meanwhile, jumped back out of the way.

The melted ice turning into water circled around Ifrit, growing more intense by the second. Inside Zack could see Ifrit's silhouette. For a split second, he felt a pang of fear. Ifrit was a fiery beast; flames were his natural element. Would they even have an effect?

His answer came in the form of a terrible scream. It was deep and terrifying, and made his blood run cold. Inside the flames he saw Ifrit throw up his arms in a gesture of defeat. The flames drew sharply inwards and then exploded. Zack raised his arms to shield himself as a wave of heat passed over him, making his skin tingle.

When the shockwave passed, Zack lowered his arms and looked ahead. Ifrit stood before him. His arms were still raised, but his skin was dark and scorched, the flames of his hair and body dimmed. Then Ifrit's hands fell to his sides. He slid forward, landing facedown on the stone floor.

Panting and feeling cold sweat trickle from his forehead, Zack sighed in relief. He actually defeated a beast all by himself for the first time in his life, and a very tough one at that. Maybe it was due to his newish body that increased it. Just then, the summon just then disappeared into a dust of magic, and then the area around Zack returned to normal. He was back in Traverse Town. ( **~End the Summoned~** )

"Zack!" Yuffie cried out as she saw Zack return. She ran up to him and before he knew it, she nearly glomped him by throwing her arms around his waist, causing him to nearly lose his balance. He then realized that she had been gravely worried.

It proves his point when she looked up and tears were threatening to escape her eyes. "You stupid jerk. Do you have a death wish or something?" Yuffie asked.

"Uh, not exactly." Zack muttered, a twinge of guilt and feeling sheepish. He was relieved that the teenaged girl was safe.

"Most impressive. It seems that you have remembered how to fight properly for now." the voice from earlier spoke, alarming Zack and Yuffie who lets the latter go.

( **~Burdened Truth-FFVII: Crisis Core~** )

The two of them then noticed a man near a large double door. Zack's eyes widened in shock. Memories from his dream earlier. The orange-red hair, the red leather coat, the SOLDIER trademark symbol on the belt. Everything.

"You!?" Zack gapped, shocked. "The SOLDIER...Genesis..."

Genesis smirked, finding this amusing. He then said, "So you figured out who I am already."

Unable to believe it, Zack shook his head, asking, "What's going on? Am I still dreaming?" as his fight with Ifrit somehow felt like a dream, but the heat was real, though.

"This is no dream, Zack." Genesis replied, smoothly. "The day has come for you to remember the truth."

"Remember the truth?" Zack asked, confused. "I don't understand."

"Who's this creep?" Yuffie asked to her companion, just as confused as he was.

The red-haired SOLDIER shook his head, and instead of answering, he continued, "Just so you know, Angeal is no longer in your world."

Hearing his mentor's name, the real Angeal, Zack asked, demanding as he felt a bad feeling about this, as another deja vu was hitting him hard. "What?" before realising that Genesis might have something to do with the real Angeal just as the Angeal in his dream went missing. "Wait, what have you done to him?" Zack demanded.

"It has been eight years since you've last seen him." Genesis stated, smirking cruely, "He too is part of the truth."

Did this guy think the Angeal Zack knew was the same one from his dreams or rather, somewhere else? What was going on? Nothing made sense. And what did he mean, Angeal wasn't in Olympus Coliseum anymore? Zack had to know. "No way! Angeal is my friend! He isn't like the other guy in the dreams-"

"There is only one Angeal." Genesis cuts him off, adding, "And only one Zack-which is you." and at Zack's confused gasp, the red-haired man concluded, "Let's meet again somewhere more...comfortable."

Turning around, Genesis walked away, just as a corridor of darkness opened up, and stepped inside it. Once Genesis disappeared into the darkness, the corridor vanishes as well. Zack and Yuffie stood, frozen in awe and horror as they just witnessed a corridor of darkness, and Genesis disappearing right into it. ( **~End Burdened Truth~** )

After a moment of silence, Yuffie muttered softly, "Creepy."

But Zack didn't answer her. Instead, his thoughts turned to the Angeal he knew. He wouldn't really have left their world too...would he? But then again, Zack hasn't seen him in eight years. Was that really the case? For one thing, Hades never approached him about seeing someone that knew Zack in the Underworld, so, that meant that Angeal was still alive.

His thoughts were interrupted when he and Yuffie heard another voice, seemingly an elderly one, spoke out, "Oh, I thought I might find you here."

( **~Innocent Times-KH: Birth by Sleep~** )

When Zack and Yuffie turned around, an elderly man in a blue gown with a matching pointy hat, with a ridiculously long gray beard that went down to the man's blue shoes, wearing round glasses, approach them. He was holding a brown long stick that was easily a wand. Yuffie sighed in relief as she recongised the elderly man. It was Merlin.

"Now that was a close call." Merlin continued, "You youngsters really should learn how to be careful and expect anything, especially the unexpected."

"Huh? You saw the entire thing?" Zack asked, confused.

"Well, of course I did, my dear boy." Merlin replied, "After all, I made that monsterous beast you fought against go away."

"Wait, you made that thing disappear?" Zack blinked, surprised, caught off-guard. No wonder Ifrit just 'poofed' out of existance. That explained something at least.

Merlin, seeing Zack's confusion, continued, "The name is Merlin, and just so you know, I am a powerful Wizard."

"Oh, so you're the guy Yuffie wanted me to meet." Zack realised, then became sheepish again, and muttered, "Sorry about that, Merlin. I'm Zack, and thanks for helping us out."

"A pleasure to meet you, Zack. Though I think I should be thanking you for protecting little Yuffie here from that danger." Merlin replied.

"Hey!" Yuffie pouted, insulted in being called 'little'. "I'm fourteen and 9 months old thank you!" placing her hands on her hips in sheer annoyance. Why did everyone treat her like a kid? She was capable of looking after herself for crying out loud!

Merlin rolled his eyes, and grumbled, "You really should learn how to respect your elders, young lady. One day that attitude of yours will land you in trouble."

Despite that Merlin was saying this to Yuffie, Zack couldn't help but feel like he was being lectured on that subject as well. Not only that, he felt uncomfortable with both of them bickering and thought that maybe it was best if he kept his mouth shut until they finished with their argument. On the other hand, he had a feeling that this would take a while.

"Um, excuse me?" Zack finally spoke up, causing the two of them to stop their bickering and turn back to him.

Yuffie and Merlin then both realised that Zack was still there, and both chuckled sheepishly. Yuffie then said to Merlin, "Zack came here from another world earlier today and he needs help to figure out how to get back home."

"Not only that," Zack continued, "I think that guy from my dreams might know something about my friend Angeal, and I need to figure out what's going on." for he realised that, despite he wanted to know about his dreams, he was worried about Angeal and felt that he had to figure out what Genesis is up to.

Merlin could sense the troubleness in Zack, and then nodded. "You're worried about your friend, I see." and when the younger man nodded, the Wizard then thought, "Alright then, this should come in handy."

With a wave of his wand, and chanting a magic spell, a star shaped crystal item appeared in Merlin's hand. It also had a small lightning strike shape attatched to it. Merlin walked up to Zack and placed the star crystal in the young man's hand, explaning, "This is called the Star-Shard. It's a powerful transport device that can take any one who wields it to other worlds. Or at least, this one will."

Zack was examining the item as Merlin explained to him about the object. When he heard that this crystal can take him to other worlds, Zack exclaimed in amazement, "So this thing can take me to other worlds? Cool!"

"But you must be very careful with it, Zack." Merlin cautioned quickly, "You would need to learn how to control it. Otherwise it could take you randomly to places at random times."

Now a little worried at this, Zack then asked, "So, how do I control it?"

"Think about where you want to go." Yuffie figured.

"But I've never been outside of my world before until now. This won't be easy." Zack pointed out.

"Then I suggest you think about the person you want to go to and where they are." Merlin suggested.

Think about the person where he wanted to go and where they are? Zack thought about it, then he figured that it made more sense. If he thinks about Angeal and wanting to see him, then maybe he can find him wherever he is. Nodding, he thought, "I hope you're right. Thanks, Merlin."

"Oh! One more thing." Merlin quickly remembered, "Don't tell anyone about other worlds or where you're from. It's top secret."

That made sense as well, as Zack quickly figured. If anyone knew about other worlds, then someone evil, like Hades for example, or Maleficent, could cause trouble to the worlds. Nodding in agreement, he replied, "Top secret. Got it!"

"Hold on. You're not leaving now, are you?" Yuffie asked.

"Well, no time like the present. I know that guy has something to do with what happened to me and to my friend. I have to find out sooner or later." Zack replied. Not only that, he was worried about his home world, and his friends at the coliseum too.

"You gonna okay by yourself, Zack?"

"Yeah, I can take care of myself." Zack replied, then he remembered and requested, "Hey, can you guys give Leon and Aerith message for me? If I'm lucky, I'll come back for a visit."

Now looking foward to Zack's return sometime soon, Yuffie nodded eagerly, "Will do!"

"Now remember, be careful with that Star Shard." Merlin cautioned again.

Zack nodded, promising he'll be careful. He then stepped back, looked at the Star Shard, and then held it tightly in his grasp, before closing his eyes and did his best to focus. ' _I want to go where Angeal is._ ' he thought in his mind.

Suddenly, as if responding to Zack's thoughts, the Star Shard then glowed brightly, causing Zack to cry out in alarm. He then covered up in the light and is zipped away like a shooting star and he was screaming as he went. Yuffie and Merlin watched him go.

Zack was off on his journey. ( **~End Innocent Times~** )

* * *

 **A/N: So Genesis makes an appearence and Zack's off on his new journey. I think he's learning how to use the Star Shard quicker than Mickey did when he first used it. Next time, Zack's first stop is a Disney world and I can give you a clue what it is.**

 **In a land of Honor, things start to happen before an invasion where one warrior will make a difference in three years to come.**

 **Please continue your reviews, fellow readers, and I'll see you in the next chapter. By the way, Happy New Year!**


	6. CHAPTER 5: From Bad to Worse

**Author's note: Welcome back, fellow readers to this story. I'll do the best I can in making many changes but I also wanna stay true to my headcanon.**

 **To TerraKH-Thanks for your review, and I will do my best. I think I might make some changes in some of the previous chapters, but other than that, I didn't mean to make the storyline too familiar.**

 **Just a short notice, this chapter will mostly be focused on the "Dream Fragments" but we will hit reality in this chapter too.**

 **In this case, let's continue on, and remember the important notes here:**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

CHAPTER 5: From Bad to Worse.

(Fragments from Zack's dream)

 _Fragment 12: It's been three weeks since Angeal's disappearance, or as Sephiroth would like to say, Angeal's betrayal and had left with Genesis and the deserted SOLDIERS 2nd and 3rd Class. Zack, without anything else to do, despite wanting to go out and find his mentor, was instead sent on other missions._

 _Today, he was to pay a visit to Balamb Garden with Kunsel who showed him around the school of SeeDs at many ages, from small children to near adult teenagers around his and Zack's age. As Kunsel was explaining about how SeeDs work and how Balamb Garden survived with power without Mako Reactors, Zack could only think about Angeal._

 _"Hey, are you listening?" Kunsel's voice brought Zack back to reality._

 _"Huh, what? Come again?" Zack replied. He really must've been out of it._

 _Before either SOLDIER could say anything else, just then, they heard a young voice call out, "I said fight, Squall! You'll become a SeeD if you refuse to fight me!" causing both of them to look up a head to see a young blonde-haired and possibly arrogant boy, about thirteen years old, demanding to another boy with brown hair who looked about a year younger than the blonde one._

 _"Fine. Have it your way, but if we get into trouble, it's your own fault, Seifer." The boy, Squall, replied, getting into a fighting stance._

 _"That's more like it." Seifer grinned._

 _"Sounds like a rivally going on there." Kunsel muttered._

 _Zack, not willing to see a fight between children, especially around in a school, wasn't listening and rushed over, despite Kunsel's protests. "Hey! Knock it, you two." Zack called out as he approached the two boys who paused their mid-attack and glanced at the young SOLDIER who continued to scold, "You shouldn't be fighting like this, let alone when your teachers and superiors did not tell you to. If you do, that will only land you into serious trouble."_

 _"Hoo boy." Kunsel slumped in defeat with a sigh. Only Zack._

 _"Who asked you, SOLDIER boy?" Seifer rudely demanded. It took a lot of Zack's will power not to tell, despite feeling insulted. "This is SeeD business. Go back to ShinRa!" the thirteen year old continued._

 _"That's enough, Seifer." A new voice joined in. The four young men turned to see another man approach them. He was a tad tubby, and looked well into his thirties or something, as he gazed at Seifer, "You know you shouldn't abuse vistors, let alone SOLDIER. Also, as the young man said, it's forbidden to fight against another classmate while not in the training field."_

 _Seifer grunted, then stormed off without another word. Squall, in silence, just nodded at Zack before walking of as well, much to the sixteen year old's confusion, while Kunsel joined him._

 _"I apologise for my students' behavior." The older man, named Headmaster Cid of Balamb Garden, said to Zack. "They both want to become SeeDs, but I'm afraid they have a strong sense of rivally. In Seifer's case, he has a bit of a non-self control issues, and in Squall's, well, I can only assume he cannot ignore him."_

 _"That's okay." Zack shrugged, "I'm sure they both learn when they get older."_

 _Fragment 13: A month after the mission in Wutai, there was still no word on Angeal. Zack, at the SOLDIER Cafeteria after another day of training without his mentor, only just poked at his food of Mash Potatoes and Chicken Snitzel, not having eaten at all. How could Sephiroth say that Angeal deserted like that? Genesis was the deserter who took a bunch of 2nds and 3rds with him. He used copies to attack everyone! Angeal would never condone something like that! He valued his SOLDIER honor more than anyone else!_

 _Zack groaned, dropped his fork onto the counter and held his head. Everything's so messed up these days. "Angeal, just come back, please!" he muttered to himself, just as his PHS rang. Pocketing out of his pockets, Zack answered it at first ring, "Hello?"_

 _"_ SOLDIER 2nd Class Zack, I assume? _" an unfamiliar and strangely familiarized accent tone questioned._

 _The young man's brows furrowed. "That's me. Who is this?" he replied, a bit rudely, not to mention the annoyed tone in his voice didn't help. Apparently, whoever it was he was speaking to either didn't hear his tone of voice or simply ignored it, as well as ignoring his own quesiton._

 _"_ Director Lazard is waiting for you in the Briefing Room. _" the voice continued, then just hung up, despite Zack's protests. Who was that?_

 _Shrugging and finding himself not hungry, Zack stood up and abandoned his lunch all together. He left the cafeteria to meet up with his superior. Maybe Lazard had a lead on Angeal? He somehow doubted, but Zack was hoping that was the case._

 _Fragment 14: "Any word on Angeal?" Zack asked the moment he stepped into the Briefing Room and found Lazard seated in the same spot he first met him a month ago._

 _Lazard, who was apparently in deep thought, shook his head, answering, "No answers from his mother, Mrs. Helwey either."_

 _Figures. Zack sighed in disappointment. He then remembered that Lazard did want to see him, so he asked, "So what's this about?"_

 _"I have a new assignment for you." Lazard began, "We're sending you to SOLDIER 1st Class Genesis's hometown."_

 _"Genesis's hometown?"_

 _"Apparently, his parents had no contact with him, but, they can't be trusted." Lazard continued._

 _"Why?" Zack asked, puzzled._

 _A pause. Lazard then answered, "They his only family."_

 _Ah. That made sense, Zack thought, as he understood, rubbing the back of his head. It made perfect sense that Genesis's parents would possibly lie about his whereabouts in order to protect him, despite the risk of their own lives. If Zack was ever in trouble, he knew that his parents would go out of their way to help him out. That's what parents would do to their children._

 _The question is, why was Zack being sent to Genesis's hometown?_

 _"I have dispatched some staff, but we lost contact a day ago." Lazard continued, and on the computer screen, which Zack noticed, were two people he didn't recongise on the screen, which also had a flashing word of 'Lost'. At first he didn't know who they were, but then he noticed the uniforms and then recongised them; The business like suits. Those could only belong to the General Affairs Investigation Department, or as everyone else called them, the Turks._

 _"So you're being sent there to investigate." Lazard added, glancing around behind Zack, concluding, "He will go with you."_

 _Zack followed his superior's gaze, and was quite surprised that he didn't notice a third person in the room when he came in. The man in question approached them. A Wutaiian, Zack realised, and this Wutaiian was a Turk. This man, possibly six years older than him but still quite young, had long black hair tied up in a tight ponytail, and a tilak on his forehead. He held a stern and keen gaze. He was all business._

 _"Tseng of the Turks, second in Command." Tseng, the Wutaiian, introduced himself._

 _Both men looked serious. Zack noticed that there was no handshake. He gazed at Lazard, remarking, "No offence, but this job is looking really gloomy."_

 _Fragment 15: After Zack prepared himself, he returned to the Briefing Room where Tseng was. Lazard had vanished, possibly back in his office. "Are you ready?" Tseng questioned._

 _"Yeah." Zack replied, "This is a routine job, right? I can handle it."_

 _"I wonder." Tseng muttered to himself about the young 2nd Class's personality. Zack was no where near like a certain someone he took in and was coming close in becoming Third in Command of the Turks. He then said to Zack, "Sephiroth was originally assigned to this mission, so it's a top priority matter."_

 _He then looked Zack in the eye, adding, "Be alert, or you'll fail."_

 _"And Sephiroth?" Zack asked, curiously._

 _"Apparently, he refused to go." Tseng answered._

 _Sephiroth, the Legendary SOLDIER, actually refused to go on a mission? That was new to Zack who couldn't help but feel a bit surprise and a bit jealous. ShinRa must've spoiled him way too much, he thought, and this he said to the Wutaiian._

 _Hearing this made Tseng smirk a little in amusementm though he did try to hide it. "Why don't you say that to his face?" he suggested._

 _Zack actually paled at the thought and quickly became scared. By remembering the frown back in Wutai, he hated to admit it, but that scared him. Sheepishly, he placed his hands together and replied, shakily, "Uh, n-no thanks!"_

( **~Wandering a Sunny Afternoon-CC FFVII~** )

 _Fragment 16: The SOLDIER 2nd Class and the Turk Second in Command dissembled the chopper that brought them to the hometown of Genesis. Zack looked around and noted the country side feeling to it. Not to mention the greenary. '_ I guess Genesis is a country boy like me and Angeal. _' he thought to himself as he followed Tseng, walking under a row of strangely bend and shaped trees that looked like giant rib cages of a skeletion of a dinosaur or something._

 _It would've been too if it weren't the fact that they had bark wood and leaves growing. "Weird looking trees." Zack commented. He also noticed strangely blue-purple apples hanging as well._

 _Realising that Zack had never seen these trees before, Tseng explained to him, "These are Banora Trees. Otherwise known as Dumbapples."_

 _Zack's eyes widened slighty. If these were Dumbapples, then that meant... "Wait a minute. That means we're in Banora-Angeal's hometown." then asked, "So, Genesis came from Banora too?"_

 _"That's correct." Tseng nodded, "Genesis and Angeal had known each other for a long time."_

 _"More like knowing each other probably since they were kids." Zack muttered in realization._

( **~Wandering the Sunny Afternoon~)**

 _Fragment 17: Suddenly being forced to fight against more Copies and coming to realization that the town was overtaken, not to mention that Genesis had stolen a large arsenal of weapons with him. Zack, being told by Tseng that the President wants the weapons either found or destroyed. Zack had a feeling that the destroying part was more likely and when he arrived at a resident house, only to fight off more copies and a giant spider-like machine, which Zack had managed to slice the single missile in half in once hit._

( **~Organization XIII-KH: Birth by Sleep~** )

 _Once Zack destroyed the machine, he took off the helmets of the dead copies, and as he grimly knew, they held the faces of Genesis. "Genesis copies." Zack muttered._

 _Tseng, who had arrived and was admittedly impressed with Zack's skills, questioned, "Where did you hear that name?"_

 _"Sephiroth found out and mentioned." Zack answered, before asking the Wutaiian, "So, why did Genesis steal these machines, and how did he manage to make clones of himself?"_

 _"The technology blueprints were stolen from our scientests." Tseng grimly replied as he observed the machines and the dead bodies of the copies as well, being a Turk and all. At Zack's shock and confusion at this, Tseng continued, "Genesis apparently found a way to transplant his abilities and traits to SOLDIER members...and monsters, by using those blueprints."_

 _Zack was stunned, as he gazed at the dead bodies again. While he was shocked and confused on how SOLDIERs and Monsters could be the same, he then realised that he hasn't even encountered the missing bunch of 2nd and 3rd Class...or rather, he didn't even recongise them. Did that mean Genesis...used the deserted 2nd and 3rd Class SOLDIERs and turned them into clones of himself?_

( **~End Organization XIII~** )

* * *

"Ow..." Zack groaned, as he awoke from unconsciousness. He was lying on his back, flat out. Sitting up, groaning, he grumbled to himself, "Ugh...Merlin didn't mention anything about crash landings." noting the stiffness in his body and made a mental note in taking lessons in how to land safely after using the Starshard, which he noticed was still in his hand. At least he didn't lose it.

He then thought back of when he fell into unconsciousness. Zack realised he passed out as he was passing through an amazing tunnel and sea of stars, which, he had to admit, was very beautiful.

Standing up, Zack looked around in the new surroundings in the new world he landed himself into. It was a field of dirt, green grass, and paths that held a fork in the road. One led into a distance, and another led up a hill with a forest of Bamboo.

 _ **World: Land of the Dragons.**_

"This place kinda reminds me of Banora Village and Wutai in my dreams combined." Zack muttered to himself, as he placed his Starshard into his pockets. He thought about his dreams, and, the very thought of Genesis being able to turn other people into clones of himself gave him the shivers. But then his thoughts to the Angeal he knew and briefly wondered if he was here in this world.

( **~Fields of Honor-KH 2~** )

Just then, he heard screaming, alarming him. Zack quickly looked for the source and found a man in a blue robe and about in his fifties running away from Heartless, screaming, strangely squealing like a girl. Before Zack to couldn't think on how or why that man was screaming like a damsel in distress, he also noticed another man, about in his forties, apparently a warrior, fighting off the Heartless, but was struggling as he was getting tired, not even his sword to last much longer.

Zack didn't hesitate to jump in, as he called out to the other men, "Hold on! I'm a-comin'!" rushing over while drawing out his own sword, and instantly slashed at two armor-like Heartless, standing in between more Heartless and the two men who was shocked at his sudden appearence.

The young swordsman, not using his new magic abilities, did what he did best with his sword and slashed at every single Heartless, getting some injuries but he refused to back down. Besides, he figured that if he used his other skills, that would show signs of him being from another world, and he promised Merlin not to reveal the knowlage of other worlds to anyone else. Zack leaped into the air and slashed one of those 'fat' Heartless on the back, destroying it instantly.

More kept coming, though, and it was getting on his nerve. None the less, Zack did not give in. Finally, after something like what seemed like half an hour, Zack eliminated the last of the Heartless for now, the last one being a Chinese looking one. ( **~End Fields of Honor~** )

"Phew." Zack sighed, wiping sweat from his forehead as he stealthed his sword back onto his back. Boy, the Heartless were such a work out. Almost as bad as the blue things from eight years ago. He suddenly froze in thought at that. Considering how the blue monsters appeared out of nowhere and then just never shown up again about long after he met Ven, Terra, Grovyle, Aqua, 'Sailor Moon', Jason and Mickey. Did those things cause problems to other worlds too?

( **~The Home of Dragons-KH2~** )

He returned to reality as he heard the two men, the warrior named General Li, and the one in the blue and looking very lanky, named Chi-Fu, approached him. "You. What is your name, young man?" General Li inquired.

Caught off guard a bit, Zack then replied, "I'm Zack." before asking, "Are you guys alright?"

"Yes, we are fine." General Li replied.

Chi-Fu, the assistant of the Emperor of China, gazed at Zack supiciously, and asked, "Where are you from, outsider?" knowing that Zack wasn't Chinese. On the other hand, he didn't look like Hun either.

Again, caught off-guard, Zack replied, a bit nervously, "Uh...from a town pretty far away." which wasn't a complete lie. After all, he is a country boy.

"You're not with the enemy of China, are you?" General Li questioned.

China, huh? Well, at least Zack knew the name of this world. After a moment, he replied, "No, I'm not. Don't worry. Actually, I'm looking for someone." he then asked, "Have any of you seen a guy around here? Kinda like me but different." gesturing at his clothes.

Both Chinese men glanced at each other for a moment, both deep in thought, then turned back to Zack, and, seeing how he saved them and how polite the young man was, not really Hun material, and seemed quite friendly, Chi-Fu answered, "I think I know who you might be talking about. He went off to a small village where an old mansion is nearby. Just follow this road." gesturing at the path leading into the Bamboo forest.

"Thanks." Zack nodded, before asking, "So um, do those monsters usually attack, or did they just appear out of nowhere recently?"

"They appeared quite recently, actually." Gerenal Li replied, before cautioning, "Zack, I suggest you be on your guard, and again, thank you for helping us."

Zack grinned cheerfully, "I'm glad I could help."

After saying their goodbyes, General Li and Chi-Fu left to the road leading into the distance, while Zack gazed up at the path where the Bamboo trees were, wondering what he will find. He hoped that Angeal was here.

( **~End the Home of Dragons~** )

* * *

It was getting late by the time Zack exited the Bamboo forest, the sun beginning to set. He knew he should rest for the next, but camping out was too risky. For all he knew, there could be Heartless looming in the middle of the night, and if he wasn't careful, he could end up losing his heart in his sleep.

Finally, he noticed an old looking hut just up ahead. Thinking, Zack then shrugged and approached it, while cautious and alert for any signs of danger of Heartless. Once he was close, he noticed that the place looked so old, it was slowly fall apart, and it seemed to be abandoned. Slowly sliding the door open(once he realised that the doors in this world slide sideways open rather than pushed open), he looked around, and was immediately hit by the faint smell of dust.

Other than that, as he checked around, the place was empty. At least he didn't have to ask people to let a stranger spend a night in their home. Zack was too uncomfortable with the thought. So, after going out again to find some rocks, dried up grass, firewood and two rocks to make a campfire within the place without burning it down, Zack then went out to find food to make himself dinner as he realised he was starving.

Good thing he used to go camping with his father before leaving home to train to become a hero, and Zack remembered how to do so at heart. Thankfully, he picked out fruit and was extra careful on which was safe and which was not, before returning to his campsite and started the campfire, having his meal of surprisingly delicious bananas, before lying down on his back, placing his hands behind his head as he gazed up the ceiling, which had a hole that looked large enough to fit a small child, and he could see the tail signs of stars blinking into existance, as the sky turns twilight.

( **~Successor-Theme of CRISIS CORE-FFVII~** )

He thought about his recent dreams, and came to a startling discovery that the boy Squall in the dream looked so much like a younger version of Leon. Not to mention that back in Traverse Town Yuffie called Leon, Squall before the man corrected her. Was Leon connected too? Zack then thought about Banora and the rest of his recent dreams.

"Angeal..." Zack whispered, as if he was talking to his mentor. "Where are you? How did all this happen?" in a hint of sadness.

Closing his eyes to think, before Zack knew it, he was fast asleep. ( **~End Successor~** )

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's dream)

 _Fragment 18: After inspecting the robot, Zack and Tseng both continued up the path through and gate-less gate and both found a slightly larger house, looking like a mansion, with another Banora white tree, apparently the largest Zack had seen, next to it._

 _"This is Genesis's home. His parents are wealthy landowners." Tseng explained to Zack._

( **~Under the Apple Tree-CRISIS CORE FFVII~** )

 _Zack half-listened, as he remembered what Angeal told him; "_ But I never stole from that tree, because the wealthy man's son was my friend. _"_

 _"So, how did Angeal and Genesis know each other then?" Zack shrugged, though he expected he half-knew the answer._

 _"The reason for that is because they were best friends, because they grew up together." Tseng answered._

 _The thoughts of what Sephiroth told him a month back was beginning to make sense, but still, Zack still didn't want to believe it, so he had to make sure. "So Genesis deserts, and then manages to get Angeal to join him?" he theoried._

 _"Sephiroth believes that's the case." Tseng agreed, then he and Zack noticed a large pile of dirt and rock near another tree next to the path leading down to more houses. The Wutaiian's brows furrowed, as he recongised this. "Hmm...a gravestone. It's still new." he muttered, before telling his current partner, "Zack, find and investigate Angeal's house. I'll investigate the grave." making his way to it._

 _The thought of checking other people's graves made Zack slightly sick in the stomach. Not to mention that the other thought of seeing dead people's bodies was pretty much disgusting and it would give even Angeal nightmares._

 _"Blegh..." Zack groaned as he followed Tseng who didn't seem fazed. "So Turks do this all the time?" he asked, mentally asking if checking graves was part of the Turks' job._

 _"Someone has to do it." Tseng replied._

 _Zack paused in his steps, saying in slight sympathy, "I bet it's really rough."_

 _"Don't worry." Tseng began, with a slight smirk, "We get much better pay than you."_

 _"What!?" Zack exclaimed, shocked, "No way!" before mentally groaning. The things he learns about the Company he's working with, and it seems like he still hasn't learned a thing. On the other hand, as Zack decided he didn't want to stick around to see the dead people's bodies(_ and also mentally hoped there wasn't gonna be a Zombie Apoclypse _), he went to find the house of his mentor, but as he reached the bottom where the houses were, he realised another problem._

( **~End Under the Apple Tree~** )

 _He had no idea which one it was. On top of that, there weren't any villagers around either. Zack didn't like this one bit. He checked around for any signs of enemies, while checking in each house, finding the buildings empty, save for family photos. Sighing, he tried out the last one which was closer to another path leading to a gate to somewhere._

 _He was half successful, as he checked inside, and found an elderly woman sitting in a chair by a table. Zack noted that she had black hair which resembled to Angeal's. He wondered if she was his mother._

 _"Can I help you, young man?" The elderly woman asked, kindly._

 _"Uh, um, I'm sorry to intrude, ma'am, but, are you, Angeal's mother?" Zack replied. When the woman didn't answer, he added, "My name's Zack, SOLDIER 2nd Class."_

 _The woman, without a doubt Angeal's mother, paused a moment, then, in slight surprise and recollection, she gazed up at the young man again, asking, "Are you...Zack the Puppy?"_

 _"Excuse me?" Zack asked, caught off-guard and blinked in slight confusion and feeling dumbfounded. Who called him 'Zack the Puppy' anyway? He never heard of that before._

 _Apparently, Angeal's mother did, because she smiled, saying, "My son, Angeal as you mentioned, wrote to me once about you. "_ Zero attention span, restless and energetic like a little puppy". _" she then giggled at the memory._

( **~Aqua's Theme-KH: BBS~** )

 _"Ugh." Zack groaned in dismay and embarrassment. Did Angeal really think of him like that? "Thanks a lot, Angeal." he grumbled. Great, now he was treated like a puppy? That was just as bad as being treated like a kid, and he was a teenager, and a SOLDIER 2nd Class! Then again, at least Angeal wasn't open about calling him a puppy. Zack was grateful for that part._

 _Deciding to lecture(Ha ha, lecture a mentor, huh? Strong hint of sarcasm here, people) Angeal later, Zack then asked, "Um, what happened to everyone else in town? I haven't seen anyone since coming here."_

 _"So you're not where with Genesis?" Angeal's mother asked._

 _"No, I'm not." Zack shook his head. "Don't worry."_

 _The old woman sighed, before explaining, "Genesis came here a month ago, with an army of cohots, taking the lives of many townspeople." in a hint of sadness. Zack felt a mixture of rage, confusion and sadness inside him, while the mother continued, "Genesis used to be such a good boy when he was younger."_

 _"What about Angeal?" Zack asked._

 _"He came here, but," The old woman gazed behind her, continuing, "He left his sword and ran off somewhere."_

 _Zack followed her gaze, and his eyes widened, for he saw the Buster Sword, still as good as ever, perched against the wall. He stepped closer to it, wondering why his mentor left it behind. He had to talk sense into his friend._

 _"That sword represents our family's Honor, on his father's side." The elderly woman continued, "His father passed it down to Angeal before he died."_

 _'_ That explains why Angeal doesn't wanna use it. He wants to keep it as fresh to remember his old man _.' Zack realised. The Buster Sword wasn't just a sword. To Angeal, it was his inheritence from his late father. Zack felt bad for repeatedly commenting to his mentor about this sword now._

 _Remembering that Genesis may still be here, and that Angeal's mother was in danger, Zack approached and knelt down to her, saying, "I'll take care of Angeal. You should go somewhere to stay safe."_

 _"Don't be concerned." Angeal's mother shook her head, saying, "Genesis cannot harm me. I'll be just fine."_

 _Despite wanting to protest, Zack didn't want to argue with a kind and slightly worried old lady. She reminded him of his own mother. With a hesitated nod, and after gently telling the old woman to be careful, Zack left the house to continue the investigation._

( **~End Aqua's Theme~** )

* * *

The sunrays shining through the ceiling and roof caused Zack to lift a hand to shield his eyes from getting blind. Blinking his eyes open, and slowly waking up from sleep, Zack sat up, noticing that it was morning already in China. Yawning and stretching his arms up, he decided to sleep for another five minutes and flopped back onto his back...

Only to see a young woman's face looming over him, curiously.

"Whoa!" Zack jolted up right in fright, before turning and stood up, taking notice of the girl, who looked around his age, with long black hair and wearing a long blue dress that suited to a farmer's life. She giggled despite herself.

"Uh, hello there." Zack muttered, blinking. He had to admit, this girl was beautiful.

"Hello." The girl replied, "I'm sorry if I startled you."

Zack chuckled in embarrassment, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, saying, "That's okay. I really must've been out of it."

"My name is Mulan." Mulan, the girl, introduced herself.

"Nice to meetcha. I'm Zack." Zack replied in return. He then asked, "Say, Mulan, how did you find me here?"

The Chinese girl led Zack outside, where her horse, Khan, was waiting, as she explained, "I was on my way to the village, when I heard a noise coming from the old abandoned house. I decided to investigate, and I found you..." she then blushed sheepishly, adding, "...snoring."

This caused Zack to blush himself, saying, "Guess I never knew I was a loud snorer."

"Are you travelling?" Mulan then asked.

Slightly startled again, and, remembering he was supposed to find Angeal and Genesis...the same Genesis from the dreams, Zack replied, "Actually, I'm looking for someone. You've seen a guy with black hair and a huge-looking sword? Or, a guy with red hair and a red coat?"

Mulan was confused at this question, but then she thought about it, thinking, until she remembered and answered, "I think I've seen at least one of them. He went to the old manor up on the hill not to far from here. It's not that far from my house either."

"Thanks, Mulan." Zack nodded, before gently cautioning her, "You be careful, okay? There's monsters around and they're seriously bad news."

"Okay, I will. You be careful too."

The two parted ways as Mulan rode off to the village on Khan, while Zack followed the direction to the old manor in hopes of finding Angeal or demanding answers out of Genesis. He then realised, to his shock, that Angeal's sword he carried with him...is exactly the same as the sword in Zack's dreams!

Nodding to himself, Zack rushed to find the mansion as quickly as possible, and halfway there in the woods, was ambushed by more Heartless which he took town with his sword. He was on a quest and he wasn't going to stop now.

Finally, coming out of the clearing and seeing the old tall mansion as Mulan told him earlier, Zack sighed. "Guess this is the place."

Unfortunately, the same jolting sensation he felt twice in Traverse Town hit him again, and Zack was again losing conscious. "Not again...!" he moaned. Before he knew it, he blacked out once more.

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's dream)

 _Fragment 19: Zack met up with Tseng on top of a cliff which loomed over a factory in which the Turk saw a Genesis Copy enter earlier just shortly after Zack left Angeal's house._

 _"Genesis's parents were in that grave." Tseng told him._

 _Zack's eyes widened in horror, "Wait, he...he killed his parents? His own family?" he stuttered._

 _"It seems he's beyond reasoning." Tseng sighed, before questioning, "What about Angeal?"_

 _"He wasn't in the house." Zack sighed, before quickly pleading, "But give me time! If I Angeal, let me talk to him, then maybe I can convince him and maybe they'll snap Genesis out too."_

 _Tseng didn't say anything at first, then nodded, as if agreeing with himself, saying, "I understand now why Sephiroth decided to pick you."_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"Genesis and Angeal were Sephiroth's only friends." Tseng continued, "That's why he refused the mission, because he didn't want to fight him."_

 _"I would've done something similiar, because Angeal's my friend too." Zack replied._

 _"He's counting on you to bring them both back."_

 _Fragment 20: After the two infiltrated the factory and fought off enemies, Zack and Tseng found a small room where a computer was, before Zack went into another room next door, and found a slightly larger room with a window, crates, a mako tube, and at the end of the room...Genesis himself, reading a book on LOVELESS._

 _"_ Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. We seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface. The wandering soul knows no rest. _" Genesis quoted from the small book, before noticing Zack who was glaring at him and he smirked._

 _"You should settle down, you know-Zack, the Puppy." Genesis teased._

 _Zack softly growled, but held himself back, trying not to give into the sheer anger that was threatening to explode. So much for snapping Genesis out his mind instantly._

 _A minute later, Tseng came in, and he then noticed the mako tube, and inside...was a slowly developed Genesis copy-no doubt another poor victum of a 2nd or 3rd Class SOLDIER. The Wutaiian Turk then turned to Genesis, stating, "We find remains of our missing Turks along with your parents in the Grave." without a doubt having concluded that two of his many co-workers had been murdered and buried._

 _"It didn't take much to have them send in false reports. Just some mild threats." Genesis smirked, which angered Zack even further, and at this point, angered Tseng as well._

 _Before the Turk could lose his temper which he kept in check after many years, Zack's voice stopped Tseng from doing anything foolish, as the young SOLDIER pointed out, "They would've done that anyway. Or least your Parents would've if you just listened to them."_

( **~Shaded Truths-KH: BBS~** )

 _This statement, however, made Genesis frowned, before stood up, remarking, "My_ Parents _had lied to me." he made a hateful quote of the word 'parents', continuing, "They lied and betrayed me from the very beginning."_

 _Fragment 21: Genesis had attacked Tseng, Angeal shoved Zack away, and on top of everything else to add to Zack's dismay, due the ShinRa Company's rules, the airstrike were ordered to neutralize Banora. Zack rushed to try and save Angeal's mother, which Tseng had told the aristrike to hold off the order until Zack accompished his task._

 _However, when Zack reached the house, he was horrified to discover that he was too late... the old woman was lying on the floor, in a pool of blood. She was dead. Angeal was there, and Zack had punched him in sorrowed, grieving, hurt and betrayal, for his mentor made no sense in his words of not continuing to live, before being forced to fight a Bahamut Summon which Genesis had summoned, while Angeal walked away._

 _Eventually, after he defeated the Summon and gained it's Materia, Zack glared at Genesis, telling him that Summons are not used for harm. However, to his further confusion and horror, Genesis told him that he and Angeal are monsters, and had actually summoned a single black left wing on his back! Genesis then flew away, much to Zack's horror and awe._

 _What had happened? How could Genesis do that?_

( **~End Shaded Truths~** )

* * *

Gasping and jolting upright, Zack panted, looking around and realised he was still in China world. But still, the new images he saw in his dreams...it was not right.

"Could Genesis...really have a wing?" Zack asked himself. Eyes widening, he suddenly realised that the Angeal he knew was in danger and at the risk of losing it and being tricked into joining Genesis like in the dreams.

Genesis might know something about these dreams Zack keeps having. Why would they feel familiar and so real? For now, he had to find Angeal. Standing up, and determined, Zack raced into the manor in hopes of finding more answers.

Fully unaware of what's in store for him.

* * *

 **A/N: Things are heating up for Zack, and it's about to only get more complicated in the next chapter.**

 **Please continue your reviews, fellow readers and I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	7. CHAPTER 6: No answers, more Questions

**Author's note: Do note that today marks the 10th Anniversary of Dirge of Cerberus-Final Fantasy VII and also marks almost ten years since KH2 was released outside Japan.**

 **Let's continue on, and remember the important notes here:**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

CHAPTER 6: No answers, more Questions.

Arriving at the abandoned manor, Zack couldn't help but shudder a bit at the sight of the old and possibly creepy house. It looked well over about maybe 140 years old. As one would expect, years of lack of people, the power of wind, rain, sun, and weather patterns had windows broken, bits of stonework around the foundation of the walls made of simple plank of wood. The door was closed, but it looked old and ready to disintingrate.

Weeds were all over the walls, patches of grass here and there. The manor itself looked dark and black with hints of dark gray, the roof reminding him of the rooms of Fort Tumblin in Wutai Zack saw in his dreams. Probably a perfect place to hide a bad guy. Not to mention Heartless. Not a perfect place to live, though. No wonder no one has lived here since who knows when.

But no, he had no time for critics. Zack had to find Genesis and demand answers out of time.

Pushing the very damanged door which Zack was certain would easily break by sheer force, the young swordsman slowly peaked through it, noting that he didn't want to burge in like his dream counterpart did, but then again, he would've done so anyway, if the manor didn't give him the creeps. He found that the inside of the one level manor wasn't much better.

The walls inside the place were covered in moss and patches of dry grass, with creepy crawlies in a few places. There was a hole in the middle of the floor, which wasn't so deep-just waist deep. As Zack carefully ventured through, noting the non-existant kitchen which was like looking at the back of a cave wall, a living room which it's furniture were long gone, and Zack noted that the bathroom wasn't much better. From what he figured, the place only had one bedroom which he hasn't checked out yet, and didn't find the man in red in either of the other rooms.

"Boy oh boy." Zack sighed, ruffling his own hair, in distaste. "Don't know why no one has even thought of this place being put down to it's misery. If I didn't know any better, I'd thought to have seen a ghost by now." he said to himself, half-joking to lighten the mood.

He then heard something close by, and, quickly being on alert, Zack turned around and noticed another door way which had a stair way into the roof. Curious and puzzled on why there would be a room within the ceiling, Zack crept up towards the stairway. Seeing it leding to the ceiling hole above, Zack climbed up, and, his eyes narrowed as he easily reconigsed the familiar voice he heard both in his dreams and back in Traverse Town, saying the very same weird quotes he heard in his dreams.

" _Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. We seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface. The wandering soul knows no rest._ "

When Zack reached the top and into a seemingly another bedroom, at the other end of the room, was Genesis, reading the same book he had in Zack's dreams, standing by a hole looking out at the forest outside. Genesis gazed side ways and smirked, as Zack stopped halfway, glaring at him.

( **~Melody of Agony-CRISIS CORE-FFVII~** )

"Figured out how to get here? Most impressive, Zack." Genesis teasingly praised, and when the younger man grunted, the red coated man continued, "Normally for someone who hasn't traveled to the outside worlds take a while to figure out where they are."

"You know about all this, don't you?" Zack demanded, ignoring Genesis's comments. "About my dreams and Angeal. Why did you kill your parents? How did they betray you?" he had to know these answers.

Genesis frowned, turning to fully face Zack, stating, "It's a good example, they were not my 'Real' parents. Just as your dreams are not dreams."

Zack's brows furrowed in further confusion and anger, "What do you mean?"

The former SOLDIER 1st Class's frown deepened, not saying anything for a few moments. Finally, when he did, he said something unexpected, "You were not born once." and opened up a corridor of darkness behind him, and stepped inside, once again disappearing into the darkness, much to Zack's dismay.

He was just about to give chase, when Zack froze as a familiar large sword blocked his path; the familiar hilt, the familiar blade. It could only belong to the one person he hasn't seen in eight years. When Zack turned to gaze at his left, he gasped in shock, as he gazed at a man in his late twenties-early thirties, short black smooth hair, the same build of body and the same SOLDIER 1st Class uniform Zack was currently wearing.

He remembered this man wearing similiar clothes Zack wore back in their world, a bit different. But now...now Angeal, the Angeal he knew, looked exactly the same as the Angeal in his dreams!

"Angeal!?" Zack stuttered, shocked beyond belief. He thought he was the only one who had a physical change of body. "Wh-What happened to you!?" only to be pushed back, causing him to stumble a bit.

The older man does not answer. Instead, he grunted, and, to Zack's horror, Angeal, with the Buster Sword in hand, just walks into the corridor of Darkness which vanished just as Zack was about to jump in, but he was too late, as his mentor was gone.

( **~End Melody of Agony~** )

Zack stood there for a few moments. But as he was about to think on what was happening, suddenly a scream brings him back to reality. Sensing trouble, he rushed over to the hole through the ceiling, and to his horror, Mulan and an elderly man, apprarently the doctor, were being chased by Heartless which were also chasing the horse, Khan, until all three stopped, cornered at the manor by several Heartless.

( **~Tension Rising-KH2~** )

Not willing to have them have their Hearts swallowed up, Zack knew what to do. He then leaped through the hole and landed skillfully on the ground in between the two Chinese people, the horse and the Heartless, facing the latter, as he stood up straight and got into a fighting stance.

"Zack!" Mulan cried out, surprised and relieved.

"Mulan! You and the doctor get home, quickly!" Zack told the young woman, drawing his sword out, preparing to fight the monsters, adding, "I'll handle these things!"

Despite that Mulan was worried about Zack, she eventually nodded, and led the terrified doctor and Khan out of harms way while the Heartless now focused on Zack who held a tight grip on his sword.

The Heartless attacked first, the small yellow ones using thunder spells which Zack rolled and dodged out of the way, before deciding to try out one of his new techniques, by first thrusting his sword behind them, then preformed a powerful double spin attack, hitting the magic-Heartless twice which then disappeared, before he was punched in the back by one of the fat, tubby Heartless which resulted in being sent to the ground.

Leaping back to his feet, Zack then rolled out of the way again, and then, finding an opening on the Heartless's back since he figured out that was the weak point, he slashed at it incredibly hard which it was then destroyed. Zack then felt impact above him, before leaping out of the way again, then fired an ice-spell which froze a flying bird Heartless, before he finished it off with an upper-cut with his sword with one hand.

Finally, he thrusts his sword down onto a plant-like Heartess a la Whack a Heartless. ( **~End Tension Rising~** )

Panting and wiping sweat from his forehead, Zack then sheaths his sword away, then looked around, and grunted, cursing, "Damn! Where did Genesis and Angeal go!?" before looking into the forest, and saw some blackness forming from within and down the path where he came from earlier. "Over there?" he wondered. Deciding to investigate, Zack ran as fast as he could towards he knew was darkness.

He then realised it was heading towards the bamboo forest and Zack followed it, just as it then fades away. When he reached the spot of the place he slept for the night a day earlier, he found Angeal standing there, his back to him.

"Angeal!" Zack cried out, causing his mentor to turn to face him, as Zack stopped, hurt, anger and betrayal clearly on the younger man's expressions, as he then started yelling, unable to control his emotions, "Why didn't you tell me about all this? You knew about other worlds, didn't you? Eight years passed and I haven't seen you for so long!"

When Angeal didn't answer, Zack heaved, before rushing forward and punched him in the jaw without realising it. As Angeal, who didn't even defend himself, stumbled to the ground by the impact from his student, Zack continued yelling, "Why are you siding with Genesis!? Is that...is that your idea of honor!?" before gasping as he just said the same last sentence his counterself said in his dreams.

While gruntly and slowly getting up, Angeal grunted, breathing, "I was never meant to be born in the past, and not in the present either." standing up, but avoiding eye contact, as if he was fighting with himself.

"What!? Just what are you talking about!?" Zack demanded, "What the hell's going on here!?"

"You see?" Genesis's voice spoke, and the former SOLDIER 1st Class came walking out of the abandoned house, smirking at the scene that was happening before him, as he continued, "You were born not once but twice."

Zack glared swords(yes, swords, not daggers) at Genesis, snapping, "Shut up, you! I'm sick and tired about all this! I just want to know what's going on! No more riddles!"

( **~Unforgettable-KH: BBS~)**

The red-orangey haired man shook his head, as if what he just heard was the saddest thing in the universe, before saying, "You have no choice. How about another trigger of your lost memories?" as he pulled out what Zack recongised was a summon materia, just like in his dreams, and he then realised which one it was, his eyes widened in horror.

To further his dismay, Zack then noticed Angeal, in defeat, walked off into another corridor of darkness. "Angeal! No!" He cried out, trying to give chase, but he was too late as like before, both in his dreams and back in Traverse Town, Zack was absorbed into the realm of the Materia. This time, he was a barren area that was surrounded by rock and clouds, as if it was in the middle of the air, with dusts of winds blowing.

Just then, he heard a terrifying roar, and when Zack looked up, he quickly realised why, as a 50 foot tall dragon like monsters soared from the air, before hovering in front of him, roaring again. It was almost made out of purple metal with fangs matching it, metallic wings, and sharp claw hands, it's body built thin yet powerful. Zack braced himself and drew out his sword once again, preparing to fight. It was Bahamut and somehow, he knew it.

Zack then charged at the monster who moved forward and swiped it's massive hand across the platform. Zack dodged to the right and thrusted his sword hard down onto it's leg. Bahamut roared in pain in the impact, blood quickly seeping through it's wound, though just barely more than a scratch. Zack attempted to try again, but Bahamut flew upward and vanished, causing him to look around trying to find it.

It then unexpectly thrusted down and swiped it's tail onto Zack who cried out in pain and was thrown hard to the floor like a rag doll. He then remembered a cure spell Aerith briefly showed him before Yuffie led him to find Merlin, and quickly cured himself, before rolling out of the way quickly before Bahamut could hit him again.

Hurringly to his feet, Zack then rushed over and half-jumped, half-thrusted his sword to Bahamut's arm, this time thankfully causing more damage and again, the dragon roared in agony, before it flew away from him. Zack this time looked up to see where it would land, and when he saw it come zooming down like a meteorite, he rolled out of the way, just as it crashed into the rock platform, creating vibrations that nearly knocked him down.

By the time Zack recovered, he looked and his eyes widened as Bahamut spread out it's wings and with a mighty roar, it flapped them so powerful it created a huge gust of wind that caused him to be sliding backwards, despite trying to prevent himself from being blown away, and off the platform to his death. He then thrusted his sword into the ground to aid him, which was screeching, rock against metal making his ears ring and clutch his teeth at the god awful sound.

When the gust of winds stopped, Zack breathed hard. But when he looked up, his eyes widened in horror as the Bahamut flew right at him and reached out a hand, closing it's claws around the young man's body. Bahamut then lifted him off the ground. Zack struggled to free himself from it's grip, but Bahamut tightened it's claws, and Zack gasped, as he tried to push the claws that kept his arms pinned, but it was useless.

Bahamut then roared as it raised Zack higher, before it threw him back to the ground like a toy and the swordsman hit the ground hard, his sword next to him cluttered, but thankfully in arm's reach. He rolled onto his back, grunting in pain, and then saw that the Bahamut was about to finish him off with a final descent.

Zack snickered in agony, but then gazed at his sword, and an idea formed in his mind. Nodding to himself, Zack then quickly grabbed his sword, and waited. As the dragon then came hurling down, once it was close enough, Zack thrusted his sword skyward and the monster realised too late as it landed onto the ground just over Zack, accidently perching it's chest into the sword, the tip of the blade perched right into it's heart.

Pulling the sword out from Bahamut's chest and heart, Zack quickly scampered away from underneath and once he was free, he stood up, still in defence in case the stab into the chest wasn't enough. Thankfully, it was, as the monster leaned back and with an agonizing roar, it then began to explode in light. Zack had to raise his left arm to shield his eyes from getting blind. Once the burst of light vanished, Bahamut was gone. In it's place, was the materia Genesis used to summon Bahamut.

It was over. Zack had won.

( **~End Unforgettable~** )

In relief, Zack then realised that everyone around him disappeared in another flash of light, briefly blinding him. When he opened his eyes, he then found himself back in the forest, and Genesis was there, his back turned to him. Eyes narrowing in anger, Zack knew that it wasn't over yet.

( **~"With Pride"-CRISIS CORE-FFVII~** )

"Just like before." Genesis muttered, "You had grown stronger in strength."

"Angeal and I aren't the guys you once knew!" Zack told him, wanting to get to the point with the man who caused all this to happen and convinced that Genesis was behind his constant dreams. "And we're not monsters either! It's the Heartless who are the monsters!" he added.

There a brief silence, until Genesis said, almost in a whisper, "The darkness...consumes one's heart. That's what triggers and creates the Heartless." and slowly, he then thrusted his left arm out, and like in Zack's dream, his single black wing thrusted out from his back, some black feathers flying off and around them. Zack gasped in horror and awe.

The former SOLDIER 1st Class then briefly glanced at Zack, adding, "Heartless were once human! But no more!" and with a smile, he then shoots up into the air, before flying away. Zack watched him go, wondering what really was going on. Was his dreams really real? How does that make sense, though? How could human beings have wings? Was Genesis...a heartless? And the Heartless themselves...they were once human?

As he catches a lone feather that floated into his hand, Zack muttered to himself, "The Heartless...were once human?" in a hint of fear. Dropping the feather, he then pulled out his StarShard, and thought about the people he met in Traverse Town. Leon knew about the Heartless. Why didn't he tell him?

( **~End "With Pride"~** )

Nodding to himself, Zack realised that his journey was not over yet. He had to get more answers out of Genesis and Angeal, but the problem was, the answers he got today did not make any sense. Instead, it just lead him to more questions. He then felt a jolt in his mind and this time, surprisingly, without actually blacking out, he saw another image from his dreams.

* * *

 _Fragment 22: As soon as the Airstrike flew in, Zack raced out of town, while saddened that he failed to saw Angeal's mother and failed to bring Angeal and Genesis back. Both of them were beyond talking, but he wanted to believe there was still a chance. On top of that, as he made it to higher grounds, in each area of Banora it was bombed down and engulfed in fire._

 _As Zack watched the Airstrike go, he turned around just as the helicopter hovered near him to pick him up. Tseng was inside waiting for him. But Zack could only gaze at the burning inferno that was once Banora, and guilt and betrayl, not to mention hurt formed inside his heart, as he saw a single Banora White become roasted until crisp._

 _How could have this happened?_

 _Fragment 23: Hours later, the chopper returned to Midgar and landed on the helipad on the ShinRa building. Zack followed Tseng out, still upset with the mission and how and why Banora had to be bombed down and destroyed, all because the Company wanted no one to know about Genesis's betrayal and Angeal being told to follow along with said betrayal._

 _"Hey, Tseng." Zack spoke up, causing the Wutaiian Turk to pause and face him, while the young 2nd Class SOLDIER continued, clearly miffed, "You have no problem with this village being bombarded? Because I have a big problem with it!" he nearly shouted._

 _Unfazed with Zack's anger, Tseng calmly replied, "All evidence of misconduct must be erased. As a Turk I must enforce company policy. I must go." before turning around and walked back inside to inform his superiors._

 _Zack was left behind, and he gazed at the ground, even more upset that no one really cared about what was happening, as he grumbled at the fact that Tseng used that excuse again. Still, there was nothing he could do about it. Turning around to gaze at the horizon, he sighed._

 _"Why did all of this happen?" Zack wondered._

* * *

Blinking back to reality, Zack sighed, and while he was confused, he agreed with his dream counterpart. He muttered his mentors name, before deciding to continue on his journey. Holding up his StarShard in the air, Zack concentrated, mentally asking it to help him follow Genesis and Angeal, and like before, he was zipped away into the sky, leaving the China world behind for another world. Which world that was, Zack didn't know just yet.

But then, he was unaware that he wasn't the only one who was having dreams of another counterpart.

* * *

(In Reno's dream)

( **~Memories with Lucrecia-Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII~** )

 _On the veranda of the Healen Lodge, a young red-haired man in a Turk uniform, though he lacked a tie, his blazer was left open, and his shirt was untucked, sat on the wooden platform, leaning against the wooden railing. Sitting next to him on his right, was a taller man, about three years older than him, no hair, a small goattee, and the same uniform but much in professional look, tie seen, blazer closed, and shirt tucked in, and wearing sunglasses. To the redhead's left, was a young woman, about two years younger than him, with long white hair, blue sapphire eyes, and the same clean uniform. Both of them sat next to him._

 _"Reno." The girl began, "Do you remember?"_

 _Reno, the young redhead's man, blinked in confusion, asking his female co-worker, "Remember what, Arien?"_

 _"That promise you made us." Arien, the girl, replied. "That you'd find us when everything would be alright again."_

 _As if just remembering now, Reno smirked, and said, "Right. That we'd all be together again soon."_

 _The taller man, named Rude, shook his head and muttered to Reno, "You tend to forget a lot."_

 _"Hey!" Reno pouted, before he and his two friends broke into laughter, as they gazed up at the sun which shined, setting behind the forest of trees and wonderful waterfalls. Reno smiled warmly, muttering to himself, "Friends forever."_

( **~End Memories with Lucrecia~** )

* * *

( **~Organization XIII-KH2~** )

At first, all he could see was blackness, as he was starting to stirr awake. How he ended up knocked out or passing out unexpectly, he would never know. For one thing, the man's world was starting to return to him. He breathed in and out a few times. He was still alive, and he wasn't injured.

"Wha..." he groaned, as he managed to flicker his eyes open, seeing a ceiling covered in fern, moss and leaves that grew within the building he and his companions came in somewhat possibly an hour or two ago. The man was lying on his back, he noticed. Turning himself over to his front, he pushed himself, muttering, "My head..." before whispering the name, "Arien?"

Standing up and feeling disorientated, the man wobbled a bit, feeling dizzy, before shaking it off. He then gazed at the window that was over looking the ruins of an high-tech city, which, like the room he was in, was covered in many years of trees, fren, moss and grass that grew over the city. He could also see his reflection, and, saw himself as the same redhaired man from his dreams.

But Reno realised it was not a dream. Or rather, it was a dream based on a memory. At first, ever since becoming a Turk in New ShinRa in Midgar-Edge that, according to legend, had been rebuilt after a war 5,000 years previously, which caused almost a calamity, or why he and his other co-workers had been seeing images of themselves, or what their current enemy meant about...memories and rebirth.

Now he did understand. At least, he thinks he understands. Hearing groaning behind him, Reno turned and saw his partner, Rude and one of his superiors, Tseng, his long hair not in a ponytail but loose, along with a young woman, five years younger than Reno, with short blond hair, wearing the same uniform as the other three Turks, and lastly, a blonde haired man,, same age as Reno, in a clean white suit, named Rufus ShinRa, the current President, all sprawled onto the floor, having had the same painful sensation as he just had.

"Sir, Rude, Tseng, Elena." Reno muttered worriedly, but he breathed a bit of relief when his partner and leader were slowly standing up. Reno then thought of another thing, and walked closer to the window to get a better look at himself. It was true. He was just as the same, which included his aqua-blue eyes, his goggles, and the red facial tattoos on each side of his face.

It was just like in his dreams, except it was all real and it made half sense. That meant, Reno himself, his companions in the room, ShinRa, everything in this world...just like before.

While Rude wobbled a bit, disorientated, Reno muttered to himself in concern, "I guess Hojo doesn't count." for he realised that the scientest they thought seemed to be causing some trouble to the situation they were currently having was no longer around and would never be again.

But Reno's further concern, was those who were once enemies, but had become friends, but so far, he hasn't seen them. "But, what about AVALANCE and..." Reno gazed at his reflection, as he said the one name made him worried, "Cloud?"

( **~End Organization XIII~** )

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry that this chapter is short, but I wanted to make Zack's entrance to the next world in a separate chapter. This story is also semi-crossovered with another title of the "SM Continuum", titled as "Kingdom Hearts: Before Crisis" which tells it's own tale of the Turks, which I'm considering in writing after this one's finished.**

 **Please continue your reviews, and I'll see you in the next chapter as soon as possible.**


	8. CHAPTER 7: Wasn't expecting that

**Author's note: Not much to say here, except that this next world will only have one chapter, so, we can move on and remember the important notes here:**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories, thoughts and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

CHAPTER 7: Wasn't expecting that.

 _ **World: Neverland.**_

The next time Zack landed, and that he was awake this time with no strange visions which Genesis states are not dreams, which was more confusing, the young swordsman nearly landed into a small lagoon, but thankfully found his balance. Standing up and rubbing the back of his head, he looked around and found what he seemed to see was an island, with seemingly a rain forest, waterfalls, canyons, palm trees and he could see the ocean up on the small slope in front of him. Not what he had an mind to try and find Genesis and Angeal.

"Huh...Guess I went off course." Zack muttered to himself. He walked a little and looked around again, pausing, and then smiled a little, admitting to himself, "Seems like a nice place, though. I guess it wouldn't hurt to explore around here." shrugging to himself.

Just then he heard a couple of screams, alarming him. Zack looked around and it didn't take him long as seconds later, two boys, one dressed in a seemingly fox costume, and another, slightly chubby and wearing a bear costume, were running away from two large Heartless that looked like...native gorillas?

( **~Neverland Schezo-KH: BBS~** )

Seeing the Heartless, Zack quickly rushed over as fast as he could and made a jump and crashed into the two large Heartless, pinning them to the ground which was a bit of a struggle. The two boys stopped running and looked back to see him fight the Heartless.

"You kids better go somewhere that's safe! I'll take care of these guys!" Zack told him. While the two boys don't normally listen to grown ups, they nodded and quickly ran to find a place to hide.

Zack in the meantime quickly got off, and just as the Heartless stood up groggily, the Swordsman spared them no time as he drew out his sword and with a dash he sliced the two Heartless in one hit across the bellies, causing the monsters to disappear into the darkness. But before he could catch his breath, five more Heartless appeared, surrounding him, and in forms of Indian tower pillar thingies(No idea what they're called), and moved around ready to attack.

Groaning, he muttered, "You gotta be kidding me!"

One Heartless then weirdly had it's middle head jiggle before it shot out to him like a cannon ball or missle. Zack then used his sword to block it and hit it like a club, causing it to fly back and it hit's original owner, before it bounced back towards him an this time he ducked, and it hit another Heartless, then it hit the other three Heartless over Zack like a pinball game, doing some good amount of damage.

Before long, the heartless were destroyed, and all Zack did this time was, well, it one's middle head and the rest was taken care off. ( **End Neverland Scherzo** )

Standing up and putting his sword away again, Zack awkwardly muttered to himself, "Not what I had in mind," then shrugged, "But it'll do."

He then remembered the two children and looked around, hoping that the kids were alright. Thankfully, Zack saw them approach again, with smiles on their faces.

"Boy that was close!" Slightly, the fox costumed boy said. "You sure taught those monsters a lesson!"

"Uh...thanks for savin' us." Cubby, the bear costumed boy added.

Zack grinned, "No problem. You guys okay?"

"We sure are, thanks to you." Slightly replied, "Now I know that you're not a pirate."

Hearing the word pirate made Zack confused and a bit concerned, and he couldn't help but ask, "There are pirates around here?" maybe this island wasn't as nice as he thought. But what also concerned him is why there are two children in place like this anyway. What kind of world was this?

He then asked, "So, uh, what were you two doing before those monsters attacked you?"

"We were looking for the that shooting star we saw earlier." Slightly answered, "Just like before."

"We kinda hoped it was our friend Ven." Cubby added.

Zack winced, realising that the two kids had seen him coming through the Star Shard, and he muttered, "Shooting Star, huh? Don't see them around during da-" then suddely cuts himself off when he just resgistered what Cubby just said and blurted out, shocked, "Wait a minute! Did you just say Ven? As in, Ventus?"

"Do you know him?" Slightly asked, surprised along with his friend, as the two boys glanced at each other, stunned.

"Yeah, he's a friend of mine." Zack replied, shrugging, not sure in what to say about this. "We met a long time ago, and, I haven't seen him for quite a while." Well, much longer than that. It's been eight years since he met and seen Ventus. The blonde-haired boy a year older than him, yet shorter, but Ven didn't seem to mind. That guy was so much like him in personality. But then, if Ven was here, did that mean...

' _Hold on...how did Ven know about other worlds? This is news to me._ ' He thought to himself.

Just then, before Zack could think farther into this, noticing something above him and the kids, he looked up along with the children, and did a double-take as a boy in green tunic was flying-practically flying-over them before coming into landing next to the two boys. Zack's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"Pan!" The two boys cried out happily.

Peter Pan smirked, saying, "Did you find Ven yet?"

"No, but this guy saved us from those monsters that tried to get us." Slightly answered, pointing at the still shocked Zack.

Pan turned to look at the swordsman, and thought, rubbing his chin, muttering, "Well, he doesn't seem like a pirate." before asking, "So, who're you?"

Realising that the kids were waiting for him to answer, Zack replied after returning to reality, "I'm Zack." before stating, "So uh, you can actually...ya'know, fly?"

"Impressive, huh?" Pan grinned.

"I sure wasn't expecting that." Zack admitted with a sheepish laugh. He then asked, "So um, you guys knew Ven, right?"

"So you know you too, huh?" Pan asked, a little surprised himself, "Is he a friend of yours too?"

"Pretty much." Zack nodded, "What was he doing here?"

"Looking for friends." Pan answered, "He helped us out and was friends with those other guys-what were their names again?" then he counted a list of names, "Terra, Grovyle, 'Sailor Moon', and Aqua?"

Hearing those names made Zack's eyes widen again and he softly gasped. He couldn't believe that even Terra, Grovyle, 'Sailor Moon' and Aqua were here too and that Ven even knew them. Did that mean they knew about other worlds too? Or did they come from other worlds themselves and didn't tell anyone? He then muttered, "Wow, talk about a coincidence, because I know those guys too."

"Really? Then, have you seen them lately?"

Zack shook his head, "No. In fact, I didn't even know they came here." before mentally slapping himself for the slip and quickly stated, "Uh, nevermind! Um, I hate to change the subject, but," he then realised that he nearly forgot his own adventure and asked, "Actually, I'm looking for my other friend. His name is Angeal. Have any of you seen a guy in clothes like mine with a huge sword?"

The three younger boys shook their heads, and Zack hung his head low in disappointment, "Right." meaning that the StarShard must've did set him off course, but he tried to be careful with it in where he wanted to go or who to find. Just then, out of nowhere, a small fairy flew in and around Zack, startling him, before she flew over to Pan who looked relieved and baffled.

"Tinker Bell, where have you been?" Pan asked to the fairy. Her response was waving her arms around and pointing into the direction of the forest canyon behind Zack.

"Um, what is she doing?" Zack asked curiously, while finding himself now thinking he was having a really weird dream. Flying boys and fairies? He thought it was all fairytales.

Pan didn't reply to Zack and instead understood what Tink was saying and asked, confused, "What? Some guy with red hair and coat was wandering around supiciously?" and Tink nodded in confirmination.

Realising what Pan just said, and also realising that he was on the right course after all, Zack gapped, "That's Genesis!" causing everyone else to gaze at him, before he continued, "Okay, this guy, I only just met him a while back, but let's just say that he's probably just as bad as pirates. He's the reason why Angeal disappeared."

"As bad as Pirates, huh? Sounds serious." Pan thought, taking in the new information. "And I thought Hook was bad." then, making up his decision, he conitnued, "You're looking for these guys, right?"

"Yeah." Zack answered, getting a bad feeling about this conversation.

Making his mind up, Pan declared, "Well then, let's go after him!" and the two boys, agreeing with their leader, cheered in agreement, much to Zack's shock.

"What? H-hold on!" Zack muttered worriedly, "T-this guy is dangerous and, uh, well, I mean, aren't you guys worried?"

"Aw come on, think this as my thanks for protecting the Lost Boys from those weird monsters." Pan pointed out.

Despite that Zack wanted to tell them that he could handle this, he stopped himself as he realised that these kids reminded him of himself when he was a kid. Nothing can change their minds and he really didn't want to yell at them. Plus, they were probably far from their parents and yet, they seemed happy enough. In the end, he slumped in defeat, and asked, "If you say so."

"Before we go," Pan added, turning to Tink who nodded and the pixie then flew around Zack while covering him in pixie dust a few times until she was finished and flew back to Tink.

Zack, suddenly having a bit of a flash-back of his happiest times, suddenly found himself floating and hovering, and his eyes widened in disbelief, shock and delight. "Whoa! I can fly? But how?"

"Pixie dust, that's how." Pan replied, grinning. "Bet you feel lighter now, don'tcha?"

"Yeah! This is so cool!" Zack replied back happily, feeling like a ten year old again. If given a choice, he'd tell Herc and the others back at home about this, and also Leon and the others, and Zack had a feeling that both Phil and Yuffie would be so jealous.

"That's weird." Pan muttered, a bit puzzled while still grinning, "Normally a grown up wouldn't be like you."

Zack shrugged, understanding what the boy in green meant, and said, "Well, let's just say that not all grown ups really grow up properly."

"Okay, men! Onward to find the guy in red!" Pan concluded, in his leader mode.

* * *

After a little while of flying before the pixie dust wore off, Zack, Pan, the Lost Boys and Tinker Bell traversed through what Zack learned was Neverland, the place where children never grow up, which explained the lack of parents, but that wasn't Zack to decide. In the meantime, Neverland, despite the Heartless, was really a cool island.

Finding nothing in the forest, Zack and the kids made their way to Mermaid Lagoon, looking around for any signs of Genesis. So far, still no luck, but the swordsman wasn't about to give up that easily. He also thought back to the people(or Pokemon in Grovyle's case) he met eight years ago, and wondered when they came to this world or how they even knew about other worlds. If he found them, he'd probably have to ask.

( **~Laughter and Merriment-KH2~** )

"There you are you brats!" a voice called out, startling the group. When they looked around, they found another man with a hook where his left hand was, and from what Zack could see, this guy was a pirate, as the clothes and sword gave more evidence to it. "This time I got you!" the pirate continued.

Pan, as if used to this sort of thing, shrugged and told the pirate, "Sorry, but we're busy looking for someone else. Come back another day."

"You will be facing me TODAY, boy!" The pirate snapped.

Zack also noted the pirate's seemingly childish attitude, and asked Pan, "Who's this guy?" with an quirked eyebrow.

Pan shrugged casually, "Aw, that's just Captain Hook. He's a codfish."

The young swordsman glanced back at Captain Hook, which he figured was a good name, considering the pirate practically had a hook, then as if examing him, shrugged and muttered to the kids, "He doesn't look smart enough to be a pirate if you ask me." which resulted in all three boys and even Tinker Bell to all laugh hysterically at this comment.

Overhearing Zack, Hook's face turned bright red in anger and he yelled out in fury, "That's an insult from you, spiky-haired fool!" before turing to gaze at the ocean where his ship, the Jolly Rogers, was anchored, as the pirate then called out as loudly as he could, "Smee!" before jumping in running off, while Zack and the kids watched him go. ( **End Laughter and Merriment** )

Pan then realised what was about to happen and cringed, "Uh oh. Jolly Rogers at 3'o'Clock!"

"Huh?" Zack asked, but then suddenly, he saw a cannon ball zooming from the ship and heading towards him and the others, and he cried out in alarm, pushing them out of the way, just as the cannon ball hits the wall and explodes. "Run!" he cried out, and all of them ran as quickly as they could while avoiding cannon fire as much as possible, as well as Heartless along the way, which Zack took care off, along with the surprising help of Pan who was a pretty good fighter himself.

* * *

After a while, the group made their escape into the gully, and all panted at the close call. Zack sighed, muttering to himself, "And I thought Hades had some serious issues."

"Who's that?" Slightly then spoke up, looking ahead of him. The others looked up, and near the river, was a familiar man, to which Zack's eyes narrowed as he reconised the red coat and orangey-red hair. Genesis.

"That him?" Pan asked, taking in the guy's looks and remembering the description.

Zack nodded, "That's him." Before telling the others to wait where they are, and rushed in to demand more and more answers.

When he approached Genesis, Zack glared hard as his enemy heard him coming and turned to face him and said with a smirk, "I thought you'd be here."

"Where's Angeal?" Zack demanded, ignoring the comment.

"Not here, I'm afraid." Genesis said, then looked behind Zack briefly and smirked, seeing that a certain boy in green was forced to face off Heartless, and while the Lost Boys were worried while hiding, they fell right into the clutches of two Pirates took hold of them and carried them off. He looked back at Zack, stating, "However, it seems you have other things to worry about."

( **~Combat-CRISIS CORE Final Fantasy VII~** )

Before Zack could ask, Genesis turned and walked off, snapping his fingers as he once again vanishes into the corridor of darkness that opened up. Zack tried to give chase, but several more Heartless appeared, blocking his way. With no other choice, Zack drew out his sword, telling the Heartless, "Scram!"

He jumped backwards as the gorilla Heartless attempted to punch him flat to the ground, only to miss and made small fist craters in the ground, causing Zack to cringe at the sight. He'd have to watch out for these gorilla Heartless this time.

He then thought back to one of his dreams and how his counterpart leaped in the air to slash against a giant Anti-ShinRa monster, and nodded to himself. Zack jumped backwards again, then charged and leapt at the Heartless. He shouted a battle cry as he descended and brought the blade down hard across the Heartless which was instantly destroyed by this attack.

He then charged and blocked more punches, struggled against the pressure of the punches, then Zack broke through another one's defense and slashed at it's chest, causing to disappear while falling backwards. Zack then focused on another one and yelled out, "Take that!" while whacking it with his sword, then side-slashed it, destroying that one as well.

Zack then spun around with his sword, taking out three other Heartless in two hits, then preformed the same attack he first used back in Traverse Town before he met Leon, taking out a slightly larger Heartless which was tougher than the other ones he fought so far since his journey began.

( **~End Combat~** )

"Zack!" Pan's voice called out, as the boy in general flew over to Zack with Tink by his side.

Noticing the lack of the two children, Zack began to worry and asked, "Where are the others?"

"I can't believe it! Hook managed to kidnap them while I tried to protect them from those monsters and while you were talking to that guy." Pan said, in frustration.

"What!?" Zack exclaimed in shock. That Hook guy kidnapped the lost boys? How did he even manage to do so? It couldn't be the Heartless working for him, unless Genesis managed to pull something off here. A twinge of guilt began to form in his chest, but he forced it down for now. He'd worry about his timing later.

Pan then continued, "Hook says I have to meet him at Skull Rock if I want to save them as our meeting would decide their fate on his ship."

Great, this was a hostage situation, and as far as Zack figured, Pan was definately not on Hook's like list, especially since he ordered his other Pirates to fire cannons at them earlier when they first met the guy. Something had to be done. Zack was worried that the children could be in danger if they didn't go to them, but then again, Hook could signal their demise if they didn't meet him. That's when Zack realised something, and nodded.

"I have an idea." Zack spoke up, telling Pan of his plan, "You go rescue the Lost Boys and I'll handle Hook." as he knew, despite Peter Pan just being a boy, the kid can look after himself. Like Terra, Zack had come to realise that Pan is hero material too.

"Great idea." Pan nodded in agreement, "You be careful."

"You too." Zack added, and with that, the two went off into different directions; Pan to go rescue Slightly and Cubby, and Zack to face Captain Hook.

* * *

Inside the cave of Skull Rock, Captain Hook, like what seemed not so long ago, was waiting, and as he waited on the very same rock platform he faced Ventus, he then heard the cannon fire, and, hoping that this time no one would interfre with his plans, said to himself with such relief and chuckled evilly to himself, "Hopefully this time that scurvy brat is finished for good!"

"Better check again, Hook!" Zack's voice yelled out.

Eyes widening, the pirate whips around to see Zack on the shore, and a strong sense of deja vu hits him hard. "Swoggle me eyes!" Hook cried out, "This is not happening!" before turning back to the direction of the ocean and pulled out his telescope, and as if history was repeating itself, he saw a defeated Smee and Peter Pan crowing in victory, with the Lost Boys cheering on happily and the other Pirates knocked out.

"How many times do I have to be defeated!?" Hook screamed in fury, throwing his telescope to the ground, seeing red, and grunted, "Blast that Peter Pan!"

"How about you leave those kids alone?" Zack asked, though he already knew the answer, but it never hurt to ask anyway.

( **~The Encounter-KH: BBS~** )

Hook turned back to Zack and growled, "I do not take orders from you, boy!" and drew out his sword to fight the younger man. But then, a tick-tocking sound was heard, which caused his mustche to move up and down in rythme of the sound, and his eyes widened in realization, horror and fear. "Oh no! That sound!"

Gazing at the water behind him, Hook cried out in fear, as the Crocodile surfaced, licking his chops and grinning at him, hoping to have a tasty meal. "Not you again!" He exclaimed, nearly screaming, "S-Stay away from me!" turning to run away, only to have Zack blocking his escape as the latter had also jumped and landed onto the single rock platform, his own sword drawn and ready for battle.

"Not a chance!" Zack exclaimed.

Hook was now shaking, glancing back at the Crocodile, but then shook himself out of the fear trance, and turned to face Zack again, pirate vs swordsman, and Hook declared, "I will make you walk the plank!" and charged, attempting to stab Zack. But the latter blocked the attack with his own sword and the two clashed as the swords created sparks at each hit, Zack ducking and side stepping Hook's attempts to slash or stab him, much to the pirate's annoyance.

Zack then managed to body-side slam into Hook who stumbled and nearly fell into the water, jumping away as the Crododile attempted to bite at him. Hook then growled, pouting, "You almost made me fall!" before pulling out boxes with bombs in it, throwing it, saying, "Here's a present for you!"

Jumping out of the way while avoiding to hit the water himself, as Zack knew, if he fell in, then he would be the Crocodile's meal as well, though he had a feeling that the reptile was mainly after Hook, but the young swordsman wasn't taking his chances. He then thought an idea and focused in his inner strength, and from his arm, he blasted a fire spell at Hook who jumped out of the way. Too bad he missed just by an inch, as the fire caught Hook on the butt, setting him briefly on fire.

"Waha! HOT! HOT HOT HOT HOT!" Hook screamed out, running around in circles, leaving a trail of smoke as he went in hysterics.

That's when Zack saw his chance and preformed a new move, stabbing his sword into the ground, and using it as a pole to lift his legs up into the air and preformed a powerful kick at Hook, who, by the force of the kick, was flown off the platform and into the water, while Zack landed back on the ground safely. Hook landed in the water, just as the Crocodile saw his chance and took a bite on Hook's butt.

"WAAAH!" Hook screamed as he resurfaced from the water and actually ran/skiied on the water, screaming as he landed back onto the platform, panting, before standing up and prepared to continue fighting Zack. "Taste me sword!" Hook yelled, and slashed hard at Zack's left arm.

Grunting in pain, Zack then blocked another counter attack, before rolling out of the way, standing up as Hook swinged his sword at him like a little girl's wand, which was really awkward, but still, Zack then summoned his ice magic, which a chunk of ice appeared over Hook's head, which the pirate noticed too late, as it hit him on the head, briefly dazing him, and freezing him a little with what Zack suspected as a splitting headache the pirate would no doubt have later.

Zack knew he was being a bit cruel on Hook, the pirate was a bad guy for chasing and kidnapping children, and the swordsman will not forgive him for that, but at the same time, didn't have the heart to kill him either. Plus, the Crocodile would have to leave eventually, so, he was left with no other choice. Suddenly, feeling the same sensation he felt when learning a new magic move, he then realised what it was, and then held a tight grip on the hilt of his sword, and then spun around three times, which created a mini tornado.

The tornado then freed itself from Zack and whirled around towards Hook who was about to attack again, only to be engulfed by the winds, spun around repeatedly. Once it finished, Hook was about to descend to the ground, but Zack leaped into the air and smacks him off course, changing Hook's landing position into the water with a large splash. ( **~End the Encounter~** )

Once again resurfacing, Hook was quickly made eye contact with his second achenemy who made a jump to eat him. Screaming, Hook quickly and comically swam away, screaming, "Go away! Help me Smee! Smeeeeeeeeee!" with the Crocodile hot on his heels, snapping it's jaws at him.

Knowing that the battle was over, Zack stood up while putting his sword away, while feeling awkward at Hook's defeat, and departure. He couldn't help but mutter, feeling dumbfounded, "Okay..." as he thought this was more weird than when Hades fell into the river of death and had told the dead souls not to touch him and get their 'slimy' souls off him after Hercules saved Meg's soul. He then used the cure spell to heal the wound on his arm, while wondering if Peter Pan and the Lost Boys were alright.

"Zack! Over here!" Pan's voice called out, causing Zack to gaze at the ocean and to his relief, were Pan who was flying, and the Lost Boys who were in a long boat sailing towards shore.

* * *

( **~A Date with Fate-KH: BBS~** )

The group met up on shore, and Zack was ever so glad that things turned out alright.

"You sure taughted Hook a lesson." Cubby said happily.

Zack grinned smiling, placing his hands behind his head, saying, "I don't like anyone bullying anyone else or causing trouble." which also reminded him that he didn't want Genesis to cause trouble not only to himself or Angeal, but to other worlds.

"Thanks for helping out, Zack." Pan said.

"Glad I could help." Zack replied with a nod, then sighed, and continued, "Well, I hate to make this short, but I'd better get going." and seeing the surprised and slightly saddened looks on their faces, he quickly added, "I still have to find Angeal."

Somehow understanding, Pan nodded and told him that Zack is welcomed to return anytime, teasingly adding, "Just don't get too old."

The swordsman chuckled at the joke, and joked back, "Who says I want to be an old geezer?" sharing a laugh with his new friends, and come to realise that friends come from all ages(or species in Phil and Pegasus's cases) and it was really nice. Being here in Neverland taught him that.

But Zack knew, that his journey was far from over and that his next destination was around the corner of worlds. ( **~End A Date with Fate~** )

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the ruins of the technology city, Reno had been hunting through the abandoned rooms and offices via Tseng's orders. The redhead didn't make any complaints, but trying to find the clues connected to what he now knew their past, just as their enemies were trying to get across to them for the past six years.

Only problem is, what was the opposite Organization's problems with that and how they even know that? This what bugged Reno the most. As proof, every surviving shards of files(how they survived after 8,000 years, Reno will never know) which are almost exactly the same as the current ones ShinRa had in the documents storage rooms in Edge.

But that didn't solve the mystery on how or why it had him, his co-workers, former co-workers, former director, current President and most of the people he met through out his life are even here to day or why they had two lives.

"What the hell's goin' on?" Reno sighed, his hands in his pockets. "I've turned this place upside down."

He eventually arrived in another office room, pushing the door open, and found two of his fellow Turks, Tseng and Rude, searching through the broken desks, and through the drawers. Like the rest of the building, this room was also filled with years of trees, flowers and fern. So Reno was a bit surprised that the inside of the desks were only musty through out 8,000 years. It felt strange to be standing in a 8,000 year old city that was just like the current city now, not like in those sci-fi futuristic movies he'd seen when he was a kid.

Noticing the absence of his superior and the rookie Turk, Reno spoke up to get his friends' attentions, "Yo. Boss and rookie still out cold?"

Neither men answered the redhaired man at first, until Rude replied without looking at his partner, "The President and Elena are conscious, but still have dizzy spells. They resting inside in the lounge."

Reno acknowlaged the answer with a nod, saying, "Gotcha." before looking around again, then asked, "So, found any clues yet? So far I've seen an old file on Reeve, but that 8,000 year old file says he was Head of the Urban Development rather than the Comissioner of WRO."

"There are files with our names on it; everyone including the former Turks." Rude answered, pulling out file by file, which were very fragile due to years of being untouched.

The youngest man felt rather icky in the stomach and perhaps a little scared at the new information, but he wouldn't let that show. His job taught him to hold in most of his emotions. Instead, he felt a confused expression as he approached a desk that felt strongly familiar to him and decided to look through there.

Reno then asked to Tseng, "So, we have most of our memories back, but what does that mean with our lives right now?" voicing his worries he had since waking up from the strange sleeping dizzy spell three hours earlier. While he had certain memories of his past, Reno also still had memories of his childhood he spent in Edge and growing up into the man he was now.

"I highly doubt our current memories are lies." Tseng began, having sensed more than heard the worry in his second in command. "I have to admit, as a young child, I've repeatedly been having familiarties that has gotten stronger as I grew up, and I could never understand why Veld or Cissnei or either of you were familiar, until now." commenting on his former mentor and former colluage.

"I get your point." Reno sighed in agreement, "When I was kid," he chuckled with a shrug, correcting himself, "In this life I mean, I kept on having dreams of deja vu too." pausing at the desk as he gently ran his fingers on the wooden surface, and while it was covered in fern now, he imagined he could touch it's smooth wooden surface.

The redhead then continued, "And the fact is, we're here now in the future. I still don't get how that's even possible. It's totally crazy to go into the future and then have no memories, while being born as a baby again, then grow up to who we are now and then remember our past. Ya know what I mean?"

The Wutaiian nodded, replying, "I agree. It is strange."

Sighing almost dramatically, Reno grumbled, "What a drag." before asking, "Could others like Cloud and them be around too?"

"Most likely." Tseng nodded, pausing his work and turned to face the younger man, continuing, "I do have a theory on how this was possible. Perhaps all of us were reborn into the future long after our deaths 8,000 years ago."

Chosen to be reborn into the present century, huh? Reno finally figured that made a bit sense, but what also concerned him was that they were many of the chosen to be reborn. "Why us, though?" he asked, before suddenly sensing that he remembered something, and turned to the drawer of the desk and drew it open, finding a single file. He carefully picked it up and gently rested it onto the desk.

"Hmm, maybe-"

"Ah! Forget it." Reno cuts his superior off, then decided with a shrug, "You know what? Maybe this is our chance to redeem ourselves." as he scanned through the file he found, and suddenly found himself smiling.

"Hm? How do you intend to do that?" Tseng asked, curiously. Rude stood up straight, finding himself also curious.

Reno smirked his trademark smirk, saying to his co-workers, "I'll figure out a way. I always do." as he gazed down at the information profile...that had his name on it-his photo and everything, just like his current profile he had back at home right now.

Indeed, they really are the Turks reborn.

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's dreams)

( **~The Burdened-CRISIS CORE: Final Fantasy VII~** )

 _Fragment 24: "Angeal, the War is over. Everyone's real happy...but...I can't stop thinking about you...Where did you go?" Zack stood alone in the SOLDIER floor, as half a year has passed and the war was finally over. He just turned seventeen, but he couldn't even celebrate his birthday._

 _Fragment 25: After Zack changed into his new SOLDIER 1st Uniform as he has been promoted, though he wasn't really happy, and that he had another assignment pushed onto him by Sephiroth who had muttered his apologes, and had returned to Lazard's office where Sephiroth and Larzard were still had._

 _"The President has orders to eliminate Genesis and his cohorts-Angeal included." Lazard told Zack, who was dismayed by this._

 _"And I'm being sent to eliminate them?" Zack asked, shocked and horrified._

 _"No. The Army will handle it."_

 _Zack shook his head, then asked, "But what about me?"_

 _"The Company doesn't trust you, because of your connections with Angeal." Lazard answered firmly and camly._

 _While the young SOLDIER lowered his head, sighing and trying to hold in his anger and sorrow, Sephiroth walked past him, continuing for their superior in a calm but a hint of understanding the youngest SOLDIER's hurt, "They believe your emotions will cause you to misplace your judgement. Which is why I'm going too."_

 _Zack turned to look at the silver-haired General, asking in a tone of half-anger, "You mean to kill them?"_

 _Fragment 26: As the intruders are Genesis copies, Zack had learned that another traitor, Hollander, one of the head Scientests, had gone rouge due to losing the betting position as head scientest to Hojo, and thus had plotted with Genesis to betray the company, which also caused all of the security bots to go all haywire not just in the ShinRa building, but in the rest of Midgar as well._

 _Zack and Sephiroth both split up upon arriving in Sector 8. Zack found a young woman, about a year younger than him, being cornered by two Genesis copies. He was about to approach her, when a baton is held out to stop him in his tracks. He skid to a stop and turned to face the owner of the baton, or EMR, which is a red-haired young man, a year older than him, Reno, who glared at him._

 _"Sorry, Slick, but Sector 8 is the jurisdicion of the Turks." Reno spoke in a somewhat deadly tone, giving the SOLDIER a warning glare, as his partner, Rude, approached and stood on the other side of Zack. Tseng was behind the youngest man who looked at all three Turks in dismay._

 _"You can't be serious!" Zack exclaimed in dismay, before turning to the Wutaiian, half-pleading, "C'mon, Tseng! Do something!"_

 _"Don't be concerned. She can handle herself." Rude spoke in a calm tone._

 _Zack turned to face back the girl, and, to his surprise and confusion, the girl had a shuriken out, and from what he just saw, the two Genesis copies were on the ground, dead. How can someone like her handle two SOLDIERs that were then turned into clones of a SOLDIER 1st Class? He was speechless at this. "What the...?"_

 _"Reno, Rude. The other areas." Tseng spoke in full authority._

 _Reno shrugged, while resting his EMR on his left shoulder, answering casually, "No thanks to whoever did this to the security system, Midgar's crawling with a bunch of nasties."_

 _"SOLDIER is suffering major difficulties." Rude added._

 _"I see." Tseng replied, before gazing sharply at the two younger Turks, ordering them, "Continue aiding Sector 8."_

 _"Yeah yeah, whatever you say, Tseng." Reno waved his superior, before heading up towards the stairs to the next level of town._

 _"Make sure Reno doesn't hurt himself or gets himself killed." Tseng told Rude, "The elevator incident left the Director shaken."_

 _"Yes sir." The taller Turk replied, before going after his partner._

 _Zack, having overheard this, looked to watch the two Turks two, wondering what Tseng was talking about an 'elevator incident' that nearly had Reno killed. Instead, he muttered to himself, "So now the Turks are the new important icon or something instead of us?" referring to SOLDIER._

 _"SOLDIERs had number of problems." the girl stated as she approached Zack._

 _"Manpower shortage." Zack replied, then did a near double-take as he realised who he was talking to. The girl had redish brown curly hair, with matching eyes, wearing a Turk uniform, with black fingerless gloves, and she looked only sixteen years old. "Wait a minute. You're a Turk too?" he asked._

 _The girl smiled and nodded, then introduced herself, "My name's Cissnei."_

 _"I'm Zack. Nice to meetcha." Zack replied back, quickly finding Cissnei cute._

 _"Zack." Tseng firmly interrupted, crossing his arms, "Don't you have an assignment?" which Zack flustered a bit, while Cissnei silently giggled behind her left hand._

 _The newly promoted SOLDIER shrugged, saying, "Same as your assignment. Do you need help?"_

 _"I appreciate the offer, however-"_

 _"Oh, how generous." Cissnei cuts Tseng off, and begins to walk off, causing the two men to watch her go, while she said, "Well, sir, Zack, I better go." and with a wink, she ran off._

 _Fragment 27: After Zack saved Cissnei from an advanced Genesis clone that looked exactly like Genesis and that the female Turk made a comment that when she was a little girl, she always had dreams of having wings like an angel after seeing the single black wing on the clone's back, and told Zack that wings present freedom to people who had no freedom, not presenting monsters, which had made Zack feel a bit better, the two departed, which Zack then got a phone call from Sephiroth who was in Mako Reactor 5._

 _"_ Once Sector 8 is restored, meet me in Mako Reactor 5. _" Sephiroth told him._

 _"Did you find something?" Zack asked, curiously._

 _"_ Angeal was sighted. _" was the reply._

 _Zack grunted, trying to hold in his anger, "So it's to find and destroy?"_

 _"_ We still have time before the army is fully mobilized. You and I will find Genesis and Angeal before they do, and- _"_

 _"And WHAT!?" Zack yelled at the phone, and on the other end of the phone, Sephiroth winched, holding the phone away from his ear briefly, probably mentally muttering, '_ Ow _.' before placing the phone back to his ear._

 _"_ Talk sense into them and fail to eliminate them. _" Sephiroth replied, with a smile._

 _Hearing this, Zack couldn't believe what he was hearing, and he lit up, asking, "Seriously?"_

 _Hearing this made Sephiroth chuckle, "_ I rarely joke, even at times like this. So yes, I am dead serious. _"_

 _"Roger that! I'll see you at Reactor 5!" Zack concluded and two hung up, before he rushed to meet with Sephiroth to Mako Reactor 5._

( **~End The Burdened~** )

* * *

 _ **World: Mysterious Tower.**_

( **~Magical Mystery-KH: BBS~** )

Once again, Zack awoke from another dream, which he strangely began to feel like it was more and more familiar, but he couldn't understand why this was the case if spend his entire life in Olympus Coliseum. This time, he actually managed to wake up and land safely on the ground of patchy grass. When he looked around, to his surprise, he was now on a single floating island in a saw of orangey and blue clouds and stars, with top of mountains seen around him. There were bushes around him, and in front of him, was a very strange tower with a single door and window.

As Zack was about to approach the tower, the doors opened and his eyes widened in surprise and confusion, as a familiar small humanriod mouse rushed out and down the stairs before stopping. He wore red shorts with blue straps, yellow and black shoes, a black top with yellow bottons, and red short sleeves. In the mouse's white-gloved hands, was a familiar star-shaped crystal.

It was a starshard.

Mickey, the mouse's name, held up his Starshard, and just before Zack could even call out his name, Mickey was engulfed by the shard's power and zipped away just like Zack had been doing since leaving Traverse Town, vanishing to who knows where.

"Mickey?" Zack asked, surprised. "What was he doing at a place like this?" before realising that Mickey, and perhaps Jason, who he wasn't here as he figured, knew about other worlds just like Terra, Grovyle, Ven, 'Sailor Moon' and Aqua.

He then gazed at the tower and thought deeply. Maybe there was someone Mickey knew here. So, Zack decided to enter and investigate himself.

* * *

After climbing up the stairs which seemed to have taken forever, Zack finally approached the last door after investigating other empty rooms and a library, and opened it to find himself in another room. It was large, with two book shelves with books stacked, including a giant book, a single chair and desk, a cresent moon symbol on the ceiling, star-shaped windows, and another door possibly leading to another room.

Staring out at one of the windows, was a tall man who turned around and noticed Zack's appearence. This man had long gray beard and hair, and he wore a long blue robe with a matching pointy had that had symbols of stars and a cresent moon. The younger man could tell that this older man was strict, and, by judging his clothes, like Merlin, this guy was a sorcerer too.

"Uh, sorry to intrude, sir." Zack began, a bit nervously, "Do you live here?" and when the man didn't reply, Zack then introduced himself, "Um, my name is Zack."

The sorcerer, as if having expected him, nodded, replying at last, "Yes. I've been expecting you, Zack Fair."

"You know me?" Zack asked, surprised that the older man knew his last name when he didn't even say it.

"I am Yen Sid. A sorcerer as you probably already know." Yen Sid, the sorcerer, continued, sitting in his chair, facing the youngest man, before stating, "I sense confusion inside you."

Whoa, sorcerers really do know almost everything, Zack thought. He then shrugged sheepishly, admitting, "I guess I'm pretty much lost. Like, seven of friends of mine, one of them I just saw disappear from here a few minutes ago."

Yen Sid closed his eyes, having expected this, and explained, "You refer to Mickey. He, too, sought guidance here." for he had expected that his former apprentince was friends with this young swordsman, before opening his eyes to face Zack again, and continued, "As you have discovered the secrets of other worlds, you should know about the secrets Mickey and seven others have kept. They are from other worlds, five of them, including Mickey, are chosen wielders of the Keyblade."

"Keyblade?" Zack asked, puzzled, and yet, the name Keyblade sounded quite familiar to him, but he couldn't figure out how or why. He then decided to worry about the Keyblades later, and asked as he realised something else, "So wait, you mean Mickey, Jason, Terra, Grovyle, Aqua, Sailor Moon and Ven knew about this the whole time?"

"How is it you know Jason, Grovyle, 'Sailor Moon', Terra, Aqua and Ventus?" Yen Sid questioned, for he knew he couldn't risk in saying 'Sailor Moon's' real name.

"I met them eight years ago." Zack replied, "They came to my world but I never knew where they came from or about other worlds back then. They didn't mention anything."

"Because the Order must be kept, to prevent the darkness from lurking and spreading." Yen Sid stated firmly.

That, Zack realised, made sense. Which also explained what Leon meant and why Merlin told him not to reveal the knowlage of other worlds. There could've been trouble, and Zack had no doubts that Hades would've probably used that knowlage to his advantage. He then wondered about the other seven friends and asked curiously, "Um, have you seen any of them by any chance? Other than Mickey, I mean."

( **~End Magical Mystery~** )

Yen Sid was silent for a moment, as memories of the tragic fates of those eight years ago returned to his mind, and he muttered, in a tone of sadness that was slowly forming, "I'm afraid Mickey is the only Keyblade wielder at the moment."

( **~Aqua's Theme-KH: BBS~** )

At Zack's concerned look, Yen Sid continued, "Sailor Moon, as she once introduced herself, in reality, was really known as Serenity, Queen of the Moon of a world in a universe far beyond our own and yet very close. She has returned to the past of 1,000 years ago whence she came, for she no longer exists. Jason and Grovyle, who come from a future far beyond our time, had also returned to whence they came. As for the others, I'm afraid Terra has disappeared, Ventus sleeps in a comatose state as he lost his heart, and Aqua is trapped in the Realm of Darkness."

Hearing this new information, it took Zack a good two minutes to fully absorb this, and when he did, he gasped in horror. 'Sailor Moon', actually named Serenity, came from the past of 1,000 years ago and is actually already dead? Jason and Grovyle came from the future and neither exist yet? And Terra, his icon, disappeared? Ven lost his heart and is in comatose? Aqua is trapped...in a Realm of Darkness? How was this possible? He lost more friends before losing Angeal and he didn't even realise it for eight years until now!?

"What!? Wait, when did this happen?" Zack demanded.

"I assume that it happened just after you met them, Zack." Yen Sid began, sensing the hurt in the young man's heart, continuing, "An enemy who has wished to create war had already decided their fates, and he himself has vanished. However, I know that he is still out there, and perhaps he is the cause of the many situations, including yours."

Zack shook his head, now more confused as ever. It was already bad enough that Genesis was making things difficult for him, but some other guy had caused so many problems by creating a war and had caused the devastating fates to three of his friends? "I don't understand." he muttered, then told Yen Sid about the dreams he's been having lately about his counterpart in Midgar, how his body changed into that of his dream self's, Angeal in a similiar situation, Genesis from his dreams being a real person that appeared out of nowhere.

Once Zack finished, Yen Sid knew more into Zack's problem than what the young man understood, so the sorcerer told him wisely in similiar words he told Terra and Grovyle eight years ago, "To arrive at the truth, perhaps you should approach things differently-first consider them one and the same problem."

"Huh?" Zack asked.

"It may be that you are connected to your dreams. The other Zack as you called him, may be from you just as you are from him." Yen Sid continued.

Somehow it made sense and yet it didn't make sense. So Zack asked, "You mean...the other Zack and I are the same?"

"I must not make assumptions." Yen Sid shook his head, then gazed into Zack's eyes deeply, and concluded, "Find Genesis, Zack. That is where you should begin."

Feeling like he had had half the answered he'd been looking for, and beind told wisely to continue his quest to get answers from Genesis, Zack nodded in respect to the elder man, "Right. Thank you, sir." and with a bow in respect, Zack turned and walked out the door.

Once again alone to this thoughts, Yen Sid knew what was approaching, and yet, he feared for Zack's fate, for the young man was connected to his apprentince's heart. "Mickey...I fear that your own connections with those you forgotten are in more serious danger." he muttered.

* * *

As he exited the tower, Zack pulled out his Starshard and gazed at it, wondering if he and his dreamself really are the same person. Was that what Genesis had been trying to tell him? Then that mean Angeal was in the same position as Zack himself right now. He thought to what Angeal told him eight years ago, and what the Angeal in his dreams said to the Zack in the dreams.

" _Zack, embraces your dreams...if you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams...and honor._ "

" _You're little more important than my sword... But just a little._ "

"Angeal...does Genesis know what's going on?" Zack softly asked. Then, becoming determined, he told himself, "No, I have to find out myself."

Once again using the Starshard, Zack wished to go to the person he needs to be with, and the item once again granted his wish, and like when Mickey left earlier about Zack's arrival, the young man was wisked away towards his next destination, finding himself seemingly closer to his answers, but still rather far from those answers.

He still had a long way to go.

( **~End Aqua's Theme~** )

* * *

 **A/N: This super long chapter probably makes up for the last short chapter. I'm trying to make the original storyline of Crisis Core as different as I can. In the meantime, please continue your reviews and I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	9. CHAPTER 8: Hearts and Wings

**Author's note: Sorry for the delay. Writers block again and all. Thought I'd introduce some more familiar characters since there was a bit of lack of KH characters, so hopefully this will make up for it.**

 **Okay, let's move on and please remember the important notes here:**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories, thoughts and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

CHAPTER 8: Hearts and Wings.

( **~Axel and Saix-KH1.5 HD ReMix~** )

In a large white floating fortress deep within the Realm of Darkness, lies a group known as Organization XIII, a group of mysterious beings which, so far, eight of them take forms of human. They lacked Hearts due to the lost of them when they were human. The Organization is led by Xemnas.

In one of the cell-like bedrooms of the Castle, a red-haired man in a black coat, who resembled to Reno, but with different spikes of hair, emerald green eyes, and teardrop marks underneath his eyes, leaned against the wall next to his bed, arms crossed, staring out at the endless dark black sky. He was in thought, when the door opened, getting his attention as he also sensed someone.

Coming into the room was a blue-haired man about his age, amber eyes that were once green themselves, and a large scar that formed an X on his face. He held a cold expression, and was recently promoted as Second in Command of the Organization.

"Sheesh, a couple of knocks would surffice instead of just barging him, ya' know." said the red-haired man in a voice that was also like the red-haired Turk's in the Realm of Light.

"Hmph." The blue-haired man thought, then, ignoring the fellow member's tone, stated, "Lord Xemnas has discovered somethingg that may be the key of why those reborn within Midgar are reborn and why they are gaining their memories of their past lives."

"Oh, so Lord Xemnas figured that out, huh?" The red-haired man scoffed, then looked away and muttered, "Took him long enough-six years by now."

"And not just those in Midgar's Ruins, for the Turks and Rufus ShinRa had learned of their true idenities by searching clues on their enemy's angendas." The blue-haired man continued.

"So, who else?" The red-head quired, "Surely there shouldn't be anyone else in other worlds who would be getting their memories back."

"Even though it may or may not be related, a human from Olympus Coliseum has left his world and has begun search countless others, in search for two men who know more than he."

The redhead gasped softly in shock at this new piece of information as he stared at the blue-haired man who continued, "A man in crimson, the Superior believes he may be a threat to our goals in search of a Keybearer to begin our quest for hearts of our own. This man has brought the human from Olympus who may also be one of those of Midgar."

Once regaining his cold attitude, the redhead stood up straight and correctly quired, "So I trust that Lord Xemnas would want someone to investigate if this guy is either a Heartless or a Nobody rather than being that like in the legend." he goes up close to the other man and continued, "Since I'm the only guy for the job, I'll have to test him."

"If he is a Heartless, find him and dispose of him. If he is a Nobody, bring him in, for he could be a use for Organization XIII." The blue-haired man nodded to confirm his ally's words. "If not either and he is confused like those in Midgar, leave him be and return to report." before disappearing via teleportation, leaving the redhead alone again.

( **~End Axel and Saix~** )

The pryo stood in silence, before muttering himself, "Like that red-head Turk guy who looks just like me, huh?" then sighed almost dramatically, "Why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs?"

With that, he stretched out his hand, and summoned a corridor of darkness, before stepping in to begin his new assignment.

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's dreams)

( **~The Mako-Controlling Organization-CRISIS CORE: FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

 _Fragment 28: Zack finds Sephiroth in Mako Reactor 5, and after taking out the monsters that lived here, they find one of them having a face that was like Angeal's and come to a conclusion that even Angeal can make clones of himself, except that he was cloning himself in Monsters rather than SOLDIERS like Genesis, before Sephiroth admitted a few things about his friendship with the two rouge SOLDIERS, how all three of them would sneak into the simulation training room just for fun, how one day, during a match, Genesis over did it, and not only wrecked the training room, but also injured himself in the progress._

 _The two of them then found a secret room that looked like a lab, and began searching for clues, discovering more cloning pods, though it was for the Angeal clones rather than the Genesis clones like back in the ruins of Banora, discovering notes of an "Ancient" and how the scientests, including Hollander were implanting the Ancient's cells into a human fetus for the child to have the Ancient's abilities._

 _But that was Hollander's experiment which failed. This was known as Project G, and Sephiroth then remembered how Genesis's wounds from that training weren't recovering and the man treating him was Hollander, how Genesis needed a transfusion from a blood, but had stated that Sephiroth wasn't viable and picked Angeal instead._

 _Zack and Sephiroth then concluded that Hollander was the one who created Genesis and possibly Angeal for whatever reasons, but Genesis was showing signs of change, that he was degrading-in other words, this slow degrading will eventually kill him._

 _When Hollander then appeared in the room, and made up excuses that he's the only one who can reverse the degradation, Genesis appeared to prevent the others from capturing Hollander who then makes his escape. Following Sephiroth's orders, Zack chases after Hollander, losing him at first and briefly bumping into Cissnei who was also looking for him, before the SOLDIER boy and Turk girl once again parted to continue the search._

 _Fragment 29: Zack was just about to catch Hollander when the Buster Sword suddenly appeared out of nowhere, stopping him in his tracks. Though he didn't even need to see who was holding it, because Angeal was standing on the other side of the large metal piller in parts of the place they were now in, outside of the reactor and above Sector 5._

 _"Could you please tell me why you're working for Hollander now and what is it that you're doing?" Zack quired, the betrayl still within his heart, and yet, he couldn't bring himself to fight his former mentor who had taught him everything he knew in being SOLDIER._

 _"I see you've been promoted to 1st Class." Angeal instead instead._

 _Zack glared at him as Angeal stepped a few paces forward, not facing the younger man. "Don't change the subject."_

 _Angeal sighed, "Fine. Then the reason for this is because...of revenge."_

 _"For what?"_

 _"For this." Angeal stated, stretching out his right arm and like with Genesis earlier, a single wing sprouted out, but instead of black, this one was white, like an actual angel's wing. Once again, Zack was stunned. "I was created as a monster. For this, the only thing monsters single goals are either world domination or revenge."_

 _Zack shook his head, as Cissnei's words echoed in his mind, "_ Wings Symbolise Freedom for people who don't have any. For an angel's wings, they're not monsters, unless they're treated in the wrong way. _"_

 _"Those wings are that of an angel, not monsters, Angeal." Zack told him. He wanted to do something, anything, to snap his friend back to his senses._

( **~End The Mako-Controlling Organization~** )

 _Apparently words wouldn't cut it, though Angeal did hold a slight sympathetic expression, then it turned bitter as he grunted, "If that's the case, then perhaps angels can only dream for one thing...and you know what that is, Zack?"_

 _"Angeal..." Zack muttered._

 _"It's to be human!" And unexpectedly, Angeal just casted a spell from his materia and while Zack should've dodged, he didn't. Instead, he was hit in the stomach, causing him to be flown backwards and crashed onto the metal floor, rolling until the floor underneath them breaks and he begins falling down into the darkness below..._

* * *

Snapping his eyes open with a gasp, Zack blinks in confusion at first on where he was, staring at the orangey pink sky above him that looked like in the middle of mid-afternoon. With a groan, Zack pulls himself up and looks around. He must've lost consciousness during his flight through many worlds after leaving Yen Sid's tower and must've been knocked out for quite sometime.

He sees that he is in a town, that looked similiar to Traverse Town, except that it looked similiar to...Midgar, maybe? There was tram leading further down into town, as a beautiful sunset was seen shining through out the entire town. This would be a nice place to live. There was a hole in a wall which, on the other side of the wall, there was a forest which didn't seem so bad, if you didn't include Heartless.

 _ **World: Twilight Town.**_

Looking around again, and, so far, not seeing any sign of Genesis or Angeal, and still not understanding the dreams, despite what Yen Sid told him, Zack sighed as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Somehow, I don't think I'm getting anywhere." He said to himself.

"You seem pretty lost. Maybe I can help?" a voice that sounded almost like Reno's spoke up, causing Zack to quickly become vigilant and looked around. He didn't have to look for long, because on the other side of him, was another man leaning casually against the wall, like he's been there for the entire time, his arms crossed.

( **~Disquieting-KH: Chain of Memories~** )

At first, Zack thought he was looking at Reno, but then realised that it was not the Turk from his dreams. Instead, this redhead, who looked and sounded just like the Turk, had a slightly different hair-style leaned back but still spiky, emerald eyes instead of aqua-blue, tear-drop tattoos underneath his eyes, and a black coat, which seemed a bit too fight for him despite his skinny figure.

There was also some kind of dangerous aura Zack sensed and he didn't like it one bit. Maybe he was starting to sense darkness within others, which was creepy. Not liking this guy, who looked a year older than him, Zack asked, "Who're you?"

The red-haired man smirked, standing up from the wall, and answered, "Name's Axel." before tapping the side of his head, adding, "Got it memorized?"

"Uh, yeah." Zack answered back. At least he knew this guy's name.

"Great, but just so you know, better make sure." Axel nodded, then questioned in a slight serious voice, "What brings you here?"

Wondering if Axel thought Zack came from another town and hoped that this guy didn't know about other worlds, the black-haired man explained, "I'm looking for two guys. One of them has a large sword and another has redish hair and a red sword.

( **~End Disquieting~** )

Axel thought about what the blue-haired man told him earlier, but didn't know about any guy with a large sword, then realised that Zack still had a heart for he could sense it, though that didn't mean it convinced him about the other alternative, which meant there was only one thing to do. "Nope, not a heartless then." he said instead.

"What? What's that supposed to mean?" Zack asked, suspiciously, while mentallying grumbling that Axel changed the subject.

This made the red-head smirk as he said, "Looks like I'm gonna have to make you a Heartless and get your Nobody to join in."

The swordsman was shocked that Axel did know about Heartless, but Zack didn't understand what a Nobody was. "What are you talking about?"

"You'll see, if you're ready." Axel grinned, then stretched out his arms and fire flared out from his hands, forming crimsion hilt and sharp bladed Chakrams as he holds a tight grip on the leather hilts in the middle, and gazes at the soldier again.

( **~13th Struggle-KH2~** )

While Zack was stunned and shocked that this guy could use magic, or rather, the power of darkness and had summoned weapons instead of magic as he expected, he then glares at him, and draws out his sword, and holds it tightly in his grip, standing in a fighting stance, knowing that he has no choice but to fight. One red-haired enemy was bad enough, but this was just beyond ridiculous!

Seeing this as a challenge made Axel's grin slightly wider and said, "Good. This is what I'm expecting!"

Without replying, Zack charged forward and gave a powerful slash at the redhead, but Axel was ready for him and blocked the attacks with the chakrams, which the two, or rather, three weapons clashed with a clang, and the two struggled against each other, before Zack was forced to jump out of the way before Axel could overpower him. Axel then raised his chakram and blasted a fire spell at him. Zack rolled out of the way.

"Take that!" Zack yelled, summoning his own magic and formed an ice spell, hoping that it would work.

Axel saw this coming and leaped out of the way, missing the chunk of ice which shattered once it fell and crashed into the ground, and smirked, "Oh, so you can use magic too, huh?" before drawing his arms back and threw his weapons like frisbees towards Zack who ducked and dodged out of the way, though one blade did manage to scrape him on his left arm, but it left just a little scratch which began to bleed a little, while the weapons returned to the redhead who caught them one by one sharply and skillfully.

Zack then quickly stood up and charged again, this time twisting and dodging out the way as Axel attempted to stab or slice at him again, but the two then clashed against each other. The swordsman then made another slash which just missed the red-head's stomach by an inch as he quickly jumped back to avoid in even getting his coat ripped for he needed this thing or he's in serious trouble because of this. Seeing that Axel was distracted, Zack then felt yet another new spell strangely form inside him, and the familiarlity coming from it. Stretching out his arm, sparks of lightning appeared and actually hit Axel in the chest, causing the redhead to be flown backwards.

Axel quickly flipped backwards and then landed in his feet with a bit a skid before stopping, and twitched uncomfortably as he was a bit paralyzed due to the thunder spell Zack casted on him. He had to admit it, he didn't see that coming. But now it was time to get really serious. He wasn't known as the Flurry of the Dancing Flames or a very well trained assassin for nothing.

"Burn, baby!" Axel laughed and slammed his hands onto the ground, causing a burst of fire to erupt around him and then race outward towards Zack who couldn't dodge this time and was knocked back and slammed onto the ground. But Zack quickly recovered and leaped himself back onto his feet, determined not to lose to this guy.

The black-haired man charged again and then swinged high and low with his blade, each strike parried and blocked by Axel's expert handling with his chakrams effortlessly, being able to spin the weapons whenever they needed to be, deftly handling each twirl of his fingers and flick of wrist. Zack then swings low, but Axel jumps and then lands a kick to the former's head, causing him to tumble.

"C'mere, I'll make it stop!" Axel taunted with a grin.

Zack turned around and charged again, but this time, he knew where he realised where he wasn't going right. He needed to have his blade catch Axel's weapons instead of knocking it. So he instead made a stab move, which wasn't aimed at Axel, but at his weapons. Catching the complicated handles of the weapons, Zack twisted around and snatched one of the chakrams out of Axel's grasp and sent it flying into a building where one of the blades struck and sticked to the brick wall.

Without giving Axel even a second to register on what just happened, like back in Neverland, Zack stabbed his sword into the ground and lifted himself into the air, but instead of spinning, he somersaulted and landed a hard kick into Axel's face, which the impact caused the redhead to be flown backwards right into the wall ten feet away, crashing into it, creating a wall crater within it. Axel then slumped onto his butt, his head lowered, and letting the grip on his remaining chakram loosen and drop gently onto the ground, exhausted and defeated.

( **~End 13th Struggle~** )

Landing back on his feet, Zack stood up and walked up towards Axel, stopping at a few feet, making sure that nothing else unexpected happens. Thankfully, the red-haired man was too exhausted to continue fighting, and was actually smiling a little.

"Okay!...So you're good." Axel admitted. It has been a while since he faced a skilled opponent.

( **~"With Pride"-CRISIS CORE-FFVII~** )

Zack ignored this compliment, and instead asked the questions he'd been meaning to since before the fight, "How do you know about the Heartless? And what is a Nobody?"

Seeing that this guy was human afterall, Axel slowly stood up, while desummoning both his discared weapons which both disappeared, and, still not quite understanding it himself, shrugged and admitted, "To be honest, Nobodies aren't meant to exist. Empty shells of those who had turned into a Heartless."

The swordsman didn't get it. Nobodies...empty shells of those who turned into a Heartless? Did that mean...Nobodies were human too? Zack didn't understand.

Seeing the youngerish man's confusion, Axel concluded with a frown, "To you...we're monsters." and then decided that his mission was complete and he shouldn't interfere anymore. He then disappeared via teleportation of darkness and vanished before Zack could catch him.

"Wait! Axel!" Zack cried out, but he was too late as the red-haired man was gone. Before he could even ponder on this, suddenly, the Buster Sword appeared in front of him, as if to block him from following Axel, though this seemed he wasn't gonna find the redhead anyway. Instead, his gazed turn to the man now standing next to him as Angeal also appeared out of nowhere.

"Deja vu, right?" Zack muttered in half sarcasm.

Angeal lowered his weapon from his former pupil and questioned, "What was your first clue?"

The younger man turned fully at him and said, "I haven't seen you in eight years and all of the sudden you're teaming up with Genesis to cause problems?"

"I've learned who I am recently." Angeal sighed with a bit of saddness and exasperation, then gazed right into Zack's eyes and told him firmly, "You should do the same."

"I know who I am!" Zack snapped. He may be somewhat connected to the other Zack, as Yen Sid had said, but he wasn't the same Genesis knew. He was born in the world of Olympus Coliseum, not Midgar, if that city was real. He remembered his life from the past eight years and before he left his hometown to train to become a hero.

The older man shook his head, then shrugged, "Maybe you'll be lucky that you don't have to rely on darkness." and with a stretch of his left arm, like in Zack's dream, he sprouted out the single white wing, which the white feathers formed all over the place. Zack's eyes widened in awe, though this time, it wasn't fear. Cissnei in his dreams was right. She knew all along. Wings were for angels, not monsters, and Angeal was not a monster.

As if reading Zack's mind, Angeal muttered, "If you think that I am not a monster, and that I'm no angel either, then maybe..." he trailled off a bit.

"Angeal?"

"Maybe I'm the biggest Nobody out." Angeal concluded, before taking off into the sky and flew away, leaving behind a trail of white feathers and once again, leaving Zack behind all by himself.

( **~End "With Pride"~** )

Sighing, and, thinking that, if Genesis was real, then maybe, just maybe, Hollander was real too and if he was, then that scientest could also travel to worlds and gotten to Angeal and turned him into like this. Or maybe he could use the power of darkness. Zack then realised that Hollander may be the key to this, but the problem was...where is he?

"What did Genesis and Hollander do to you?" He asked to the now gone Angeal.

Approaching a nearby bench and placing his sword against the wall next to it, Zack sat down and leaned back, clampsing his hands behind his head and gazed up at the afternoon sky, trying to think of the answer to all of these questions, but each time he did, it just led to more questions.

After fifteen minutes of thinking, Zack let his eyes close, and before he knew it, he fell asleep.

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's dreams)

 _Fragment 30: Zack didn't know if he was dreaming or not, and when he heard a female voice, he thought he could hear his mother and told her that he wanted to help his friend, but he didn't know how._

 _Then, a new familiar female voice began calling, "Hell-llooo!"_

 _"Mom?"_

( **~Aerith's Theme-CRISIS CORE: FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

 _Then, his eyes stirred open, and he was now awake. The first thing Zack saw, was a young girl, a year younger than him, with brown hair tied up in a ponytail, emerald eyes, wearing a blue dress with matching sandles, decorated with patterned flowers._

 _"Thank goodness, you're awake!" the girl sighed in relief, as she was kneeling next to him._

 _Zack, almost fully awake, and noticing tale signs of light, asked, "...Am I in Heaven?"_

 _The girl smiled, answering, "Not quite. This is the Church in Sector 5, in the Slums."_

 _The young man sat up, and, getting a better look at the girl, his heart fluttered, and he felt a smile form on his face. Out of all the woman he'd met so far in his life, he'd never seen one much more beautiful until now. This girl looked so gentle and stunning...almost like she came from the heavens herself._

 _"An angel?" He asked._

 _The shook her head, answering, "No. I'm Aerith." before standing up, and pointing the newly made hole in the ceiling, explaing, "You fell from the sky and scared me. I'm glad you only had a couple of scratches."_

 _Zack did notice some scratches on his arms, and was thankful that that was all he had in the way of injuries, considering on what happened in Mako Reactor 5. Beyond that, he was surprised that he didn't have any broken bones. Maybe the ceiling broke his fall and he didn't even remember it._

 _"And you sort of nearly crushed the flowers too." Aerith continued._

 _"Huh?" Zack asked, puzzled._

 _"Normally people are more careful with flowers." She added._

 _Looking to his right and seeing a few flowers an inch close to him, Zack realised that he nearly squashed them flat after landing hard on the ground and lost consciousness. Sheepishly, he stood up and stood back a few paces, and rubbed the back of his neck at Aerith._

 _"Sorry about that." Zack shrugged sheepishly, "Guess I wasn't looking where was going." but then the real surprise took hold, as he gazed a large patch of flowers in the wooden floor that was broken and it was like someone made a little garden out of these. He had to admit, they were very pretty. White and yellow flowers that looked like dafidles or lillies with patches of green grass, and despite the Mako Reactors within the city, it seemed the flowers were fine. In fact, they looked very healthy._

 _"Wow." Zack breathed, as he crouched a little, gazed at them while saying to Aerith, "You know, you don't see a lot of flowers in Midgar." then turned to face her and continued, "These are like rare treasures around here."_

 _Aerith smiled with a nod, and explained, "They only grow here." then admitted, "Although, I did take some seeds from some of them and planted them around my house too."_

 _Zack thought it was a very nice idea. If his mother met this young girl, they'd get along so well, as he remembered how his mom loved gardening as well as farming. He then stood up and then, if Aerith's house had flowers, then maybe the rest of Midgar would have flowers too. The image of other houses in Midgar and most of the slums having flower benches was rather a nice touch._

 _With a mental nod, he then told her, "You know, if I were you, I'd sell them. Midgar would be full of flowers, and your wallet would be full of money." with a smile._

 _Aerith gazed at him in confusion as he said this, then, she thought deeply about this herself. In her mind, she saw almost the exact same image as him, and it brought a smile on her face. Why didn't she think of that before? This place was always gloomy, and the flowers always brought smiles to her and to her mother. Maybe the same would happen to other people._

 _"I never thought of it that way." She admitted, "Midgar, full of flowers, wallet, full of money, that's a nice idea."_

 _Zack nodded, then introduced himself, "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Zack."_

 _Fragment 31: Zack thought about leaving to return to the ShinRa building, then realised that he never ventured though the Slums before. Aerith offered to guide him and help him out. He agreed to her help, and the two journeyed together through the slums. The first time he saw the slums, he was reminded of his bedroom._

 _Though there were some mishaps along the way, like a little boy Aerith knew that stole Zack's wallet, and the two teens quickly tracked the kid down, and realised that the boy's reason was that he wanted to buy medicine for his mother. After helping the kid out, Zack and Aerith then explored a little, then Zack thought of an idea of building a flower wagon for Aerith's flowers, which she thought it was a great idea._

 _The two then ventured into a store and found a pink ribbon that Aerith instantly grew to love, via Zack's suggestion as gratitude for helping him out. They bought the ribbon and Zack tied it on the top of Aerith hair, which made her more beautiful and she instantly loved it, that she decided she would never part from it._

 _Zack then suggested one date, and despite Aerith say that it was silly, she decided that maybe it wouldn't hurt to hang out with him for a little longer. Despite them just meeting today, they were quickly becoming friends...maybe a bit more. They both learned a bit quite from each other already, like they've known each other for a week._

( **~End Aerith's Theme~** )

 _Fragment 32: Via Aerith's suggestion, the two decided to go to the park on their first date, and ventured there, while children who had been playing then decided to call it a day and returned home, leaving the two alone._

 _Though there was a thought that seemed to borther Aerith for some time, so, she couldn't help but ask, "Zack...you wouldn't happen to have met any SOLDIER members?"_

( **~Theme of FFVII-Piano version-FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN COMPLETE~** )

 _Zack was a bit surprised at this question, then replied, "Some of them."_

 _"Do they like what they do?"_

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _The young woman muttered, with a hint of worry, "Children worship them as heroes, and they try to bring peace. But...they're not normal." then she asked while turning to face Zack, "They get some kind of special surgery, don't they?"_

 _"Something like that." Zack replied, relucantedly._

 _"I think normal is best." Aerith continued, "They're a bit...weird."_

 _"Weird, huh?" Zack began to feel uncomfortable, not because he felt insulted, it was because him being a SOLDIER, maybe it made him weird too. If Aerith felt uncomfortable with SOLDIER, maybe Angeal felt that something was wrong and thought that Hollander would help._

 _Aerith then added, "And scary. They look as though...they enjoy fighting."_

 _After a moment of silence, Zack hesitatedly decided that maybe it was best that he told her the truth. He then said, "Well, actually, I'm with SOLDIER. Recently promoted to 1st Class."_

 _Gasping a bit, then feeling a bit guilty, Aerith mumbled, "I'm sorry."_

 _At that, the two felt awkward, and Zack felt bad about scaring Aerith. He didn't know what to do or how to make up for it. He then heard her say, "They're so pretty."_

 _"Excuse me?" Zack asked, and saw that she was smiling._

 _"Your eyes."_

 _Smiling a bit, Zack then approached Aerith and said, "Do you like them? Then why not take a closer look?" then explained, "Eyes fused with mako energy-that's the SOLDIER trademark." and the two stared at each other in their eyes, one pair of beautiful eyes staring at the other-Zack's glowing blue eyes and Aerith's emerald glittering eyes._

 _Aerith then realised what was going on and blushed, then playfully pushed Zack's shoulder, pouting, "Oh you!" and the two shared a laugh, both feeling a bit better already._

 _"Colour of the sky, right?" Zack asked, as he did remember that he did inherit his mother's blue eyes._

 _Aerith nodded, then said, "But, they're not scary at all."_

 _They both smiled, then Zack shrugged, and admitted, "Well, I have to admit, things haven't been normal for me lately." then asked, slightly curiously, "How about you, Aerith?"_

 _"Well, I did think today would be like any other day," Aerith began, "Then all of the sudden, you fell out of the sky. But you know what," she turned around and faced Zack again, concluding, "It was a nice event."_

 _"And we both made friends with each other." Zack added, smiling._

 _The young woman nodded in agreement, then frowned in slight disappointment when Zack's PHS rang. Holding out a hand to silently apologuise and then used the other to answer the phone, Zack held it to his ear, and he could hear someone from the other end._

 _"_ Zack, you must return to ShinRa HQ now. Genesis has invaded us. _" It was Lazard and he sounded strained._

 _With Genesis attacking again, this time at the Company, Zack immediately knew he had to get back, and so he answered that he was on his way, and hung up, then apologuised to Aerith, "Sorry Aerith, but, duty calls."_

 _She nodded in understanding, and said, "Well, I should head home before my mother worries." then asked, in a soft hint of eager, "Will I see you again?"_

 _"Yeah, of course." Zack nodded._

 _"I hope your friend will be alright." she said unexpectedly._

 _Zack blinked in confusion, causing Aerith to blush, as she answered his silent question, "You talked when you were sleeping earlier."_

 _Realising what she meant, he nodded, and, feeling that maybe he can help Angeal, Zack replied, "Yeah, it'll be okay."_

( **~End Theme of FFVII-Piano version~** )

 _Fragment 33: Zack returned to HQ after Aerith returned home, and then met up with Angeal along the way, as the former SOLDIER decided that he had enough with Genesis's madness, and lifted Zack to the near top of the building where they reuighted with Sephiroth briefly, before Zack was ordered to protect Hojo, the head of the Science Department, and the younger SOLDIER hated to admit, but the old scientest gave him the creeps._

 _They were then attacked by Genesis, but Zack and Angeal prevented him from harming Hojo, before all three went up to the helipad, where Genesis summoned a Neo-Bahamut this time, and Angeal left Zack to fight it while he fought against Genesis._

 _While the two SOLDIERS fought, Zack then got an phone call as he had added his PHS number to Aerith's list, and she had rang. "Aerith?" he asked, then apologetically said, "Um, sorry, can I call you back later? I have some company."_

 _She understood and after giving out a last comment before the two hung up, Zack drew out his sword as Neo-Bahamut appeared, leaving Zack in it's electrical realm for a fight, he grinned as he muttered to himself, "_ "Better not keep your guests waiting _,"_ _She said."_

 _After the fight, Zack was back on the helipad, on his own. It was silent, and Angeal and Genesis were once again gone. He also couldn't help but feel wary around Hojo. That old man...he had this creepy bad skin crawling aura around him. He had heard some rumors that Reno didn't like him and had called him, "Professor-Creep-Show" and now he understood why._

 _The way he spoke about Jenova, the Calamity that fell from the sky, it mad Zack worry. He heard that Jenova was an Ancient, but, what if he heard wrong? It didn't make sense._

 _Nothing made sense._

* * *

Awakening from yet more of those dreams, Zack opened his eyes, and saw the signs of the sun setting and the sky turning purple-dark blue, and signs of stars beginning to appear. He stretched out his arms with a yawn, and sat up.

"Must've fallen asleep again." He said to himself. He then thought about his dream, and his eyes slightly widened as he realised something. "Aerith...even she was in my dreams, but...I met her before even dreaming about her. With Yuffie, it's the opposite." He then thought that maybe they're involved and then began to worry.

Genesis could be going after Aerith if he knew she was involved. Maybe that was why he nearly trapped Yuffie back in Traverse Town, because they could've been part of his plot to lure Zack.

Worried for their safety, despite Leon being there, Zack decided that he should go visit them to the place where he first started and then maybe start right from the beginning, only this time, with the clues he had in mind. Standing up, and holding his Starshard out, he said to himself, "I have to make sure Genesis doesn't find them."

With his wish to return to Traverse Town granted, the starshard then took Zack away from Twilight Town and all the way back to Traverse Town.

* * *

( **~Axel and Saix-KH1.5 HD ReMix~** )

Meanwhile, in the Round Room of the Castle that Never Was, Axel was giving out his report to the Superior, along with the blue-haired who is known as Saix, and another member with an eye-patch over his right eye, black and gray hair and a large scar on his left cheek.

"...And that sums it up." Axel concluded, having told them everything that occured in Twilight Town and about Zack's condition.

"Hmm...so this man is human, but knows about the knowlage of the worlds." The superior spoke in a monotone deep voice. "And yet, he knows nothing of Nobodies."

"All he cares about is searching for the two guys I don't even know about. But I think he knows a little bit of the man in crimson." Axel confirmed.

"Troubling news, indeed." Saix thought in the same expression he always had. He turned to the Superior and questioned, "Lord Xemnas, should we dispose of him?"

"Heh, think we'd make the guy join the Organization?" Xigbar, the one-eye patched man laughed, "As if! He's just as useless as the Turks. They're strong in bodies, but their hearts are weak."

"No." Xemnas said, "All of them are strong at heart, for they are among those who were reborn. They share a connection to a certain young girl, who's ties relate to that of the ancient legend of the Earth's Moon within the Solar Universe. However, there is still time before they all realise their true purpose. But I can already tell...the man whom Axel has met, his fate as already been decided. There is no need to interfere."

Axel remained silent as his mind registered the new information. He heard stories of the Ancient 1,000 year old legend, but it never occured to him that it was actually real. Plus, how was Zack, or Midgar's Turks were tied itno a single young girl in the world known as Earth? Why was she important?

"Axel, be ready for your next assignment. Until then, you're dismissed for now. Execellent work today, despite your defeat." Xemnas concluded.

"Understood." Axel replied, then teleported away back to his room, or to the lounge, anywhere he'll be comfortable.

* * *

Flying through the Lanes between, Genesis was in his own thoughts, as he flew to a familiar world where he believed Zack would eventually follow him, now that the younger man was getting closer in realising the truth.

" _My soul corrupted by vengeance. Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey in my own salvation and your eternal slumber._ " He quoted LOVELESS once again, as another world came into view. Flying through the barrier from the darkness, he arrived outside, and paused to hover over the greenery below him...as he gazed at the ruins of Midgar.

This is where the real test would begin.

( **~End Axel and Saix~** )

* * *

 **A/N: Zack's situation is getting more and more complicated, but it seems that Organization XIII has eyes on the Turks. Who is the mysterious enemy the current ShinRa is fighting? Well, that is another story, which is answered in "Kingdom Hearts: Before Crisis".**

 **Please continue your reviews and I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	10. CHAPTER 9: Which are Dreams and Reality?

**Author's note: Thank you so much for your review, HiddenXEmotion, and sorry for the delay. As the summary had said, this is set within my headcanon; "Sailor Moon Continuum" which has lots and lots of titles.**

 **The ending of this story will probably come to a shock and confusion to you, if you haven't looked up my Continuum parts one and two yet, which I can understand.**

 **Okay, let's move on and please remember the important notes here:**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories, thoughts and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I hold no rights to Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy VII, Pokemon or Sailor Moon.**

* * *

CHAPTER 9: Which are Dreams and Reality?

(Cloud's Nightmare)

 _He didn't know what was going on or why this was happening, but all the young sixteen year old man, blond spiky hair that made people think it was a chocobo, blue eyes, and was wearing an army uniform with his helmet on, could do was stare in sheer horror and sorrow._

 _Anger was soon added when he was knocked down harshly as the flames in his childhood home burned everywhere. When he looked up, hurt and betrayal formed, as standing calmly and now cruely in the flames, was the man he once worshipped._

 _Sephiroth, legendary SOLDIER of ShinRa, smiled almost evilly, his long sword in hand, and the flames were strangely not effecting him, stood there. If anything, it was as if the fires weren't there at all, when Sephiroth turned and calmly walked away...leaving the town to be destroyed by the fires and most of the town's population left to die..._

* * *

Jolting upright in bed and gasping, a young twenty year old man with blond spiky hair, blue eyes, and wearing a gray sweat shirt, black pants, brown gloves, and had leather zipper boots next to the bed, breathed in and out several times, feeling disorientated.

( **~Silent Edge-DIRGE OF CERBERUS FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

It took him several moments to realise where he was, as the graying room in the hotel he was staying at seemed to be strangely different than when he arrived from his from to Midgar-Edge last night.

"Why does that dream always seem so real?" the young man asked himself.

There was then ringing next to him and it took the young man moments to realise it came from his PHS flip phone on the bedside table. He didn't feel up to answering at the moment, so he left it to go to voicemail. He felt a twinge of guilt rise when a familiar female voice from the speaker spoke.

" _Cloud? It's Tifa. How have you been? Are you still having those nightmares? I've been having them too and I think I should come over to Edge to see what's going on. I hope you're okay. I'll call you back later. Be careful-okay?_ " the girl, Tifa, said before the call was dropped.

Cloud Strife sighed before looking at the window, where he could hear cars and traffic from outside of the obvious morning. When he gazed at the hotel's clock, Cloud found that it was nearing 7:00 AM in the morning.

After another moment, he said to himself, "I guess I'd better call in the Turks to meet up with me."

( **~End Silent Edge~** )

* * *

The next time Zack woke up, he was a now familiar soild ground, though he wasn't as sore as he was a few times during his journey. But that didn't stop him from groaning as he pushed himself up. Thankfully, the Starshard directed him back to where his journey started where he first met Genesis. In fact, now Aerith was part of the situation, even though she wouldn't have any idea as much as to what's going on either.

"Ugh...I really need to learn how to make proper landings while using the StarShard." said Zack to himself, standing up and looked around. Nothing changed since he left. But in truth, he hoped that the others he met-Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, Merlin and even Cid-were unharmed.

"Well, better to and make sure they're okay." Zack decided, before making sure he still had enough potions and ect., to last him before deciding to restock first. Plus, the way the Heartless are, one can't be distracted and not fully prepared.

* * *

After meeting up with Cid and restocking, Zack made his way to the 2nd District in hopes of finding his way to the hotel he first met Aerith and the others, even though the 2nd District is where Leon first confronted him in a misunderstanding. Also where Zack first discovered and battled the Heartless. It also made him think about how Heartless were once human, and then he thought back to when he discovered a man having his heart taken out before disappearing, then another heartless appeared, which he began to think was starting to make sense.

( **~Verge of Assault-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

But when he reached the lower parts of town, Zack froze...as Aerith was spotted, and she was cornered against the wall near the stairs, and surrounded by six heartless that were no doubt attempting to get to her heart. Even from a distance, he could tell she was terrified.

From the corner of her eye, Aerith turned her head and she spotted Zack and cried out his name. She wasn't that good in fighting just yet and she had no idea what to do.

"Hang on!" Zack called out, unsheathing his sword and holding a tight grip. He then shouted at the Heartless, "Hey, Heartless! Over here!" which, just as he wanted, the Heartless heard his voice and turned to him.

Seeing a swordsman with light as well as darkness within his heart, the Heartless decided that his heart was worth more than a flower girl's heart. So they scampered straight towards him. But the heartless, acting on instinct, failed to realise that they were tricked, as Zack readied himself, then with a powerful thrust, his sword sliced through all six of them in a single hit, which caused them to vanish instantly.

But then the three tubby Heartless appeared, which proved a bit more of a challenge for Zack, but he refused to surrender and rolled out of the way before one of them could punch him and he took it out in no time flat. The other two suffered the similiar fate.

Knowing that more will most likely appear, Zack quickly puts his weapon away and rushed over to Aerith, saying, "Let's get outta here!" and with her nod in agreement, she followed him as he led the way back to the 1st District, while he took out more Heartless along the way as well as keeping Aerith safe.

Finally, they reached the other District and stopped to catch a breather.

( **~End Verge of Assault~** )

Wiping non-existant sweat from his forehead, Zack turned to the slightly pale Aerith and asked, "You okay?"

"I'm fine." The flower girl replied, smiling a little after recovering slightly, "Thank you, Zack." for she was surprised that the swordsman had come back to Traverse Town. She then asked, "Did you find any answers yet?"

"Sort of." Zack shrugged, a bit caught off-guard by the question, wondering if he should tell her or not. He then realised that he should inform Leon as well, but then again, he didn't want to cause any more problems to add on Leon's plate, as the Heartless were enough problems as they were. But then, who knew what Genesis might come up next.

In the end, Zack hesitatedly asked, rubbing the back of his neck, "Um, can I, talk to you for a moment?"

Aerith blinked for a moment, but then she looked closely at his face, and nodded, saying, "There's something wrong. I can tell."

* * *

So when Zack and Aerith arrived at the resturant and sat at a two chair table, the former told the latter about everything he found out so far, about how he discovered his friend Angeal siding with Genesis who kept on saying things that didn't make any sense, and how Zack recently found out that, for a strange reason, that he might be connected to his dream counterpart.

Once he was finished, Aerith was concerned as she said, "That is very strange." thinking about what Zack has told her. While it was weird that even she was possibly connected to the situation, Aerith could tell that even Zack had doubts. Not to mention that Genesis may know something that none of them do. So she suggested, "Maybe Genesis might have the answers."

"That's what I'm hoping." Zack shrugged a little. "Everything's so messed up lately." for he wanted to really know what was going on and wished the Genesis would quit with the random words that even made his head hurt just trying to piece the pieces of the puzzle together, only to end up with more pieces, and the puzzle seems to grow bigger. Problem is, even Angeal is brought into it. It made him think that maybe Yen Sid might be right. But then...how could that be?

Seeing the growing hopelessness on the young man's face, Aerith gently smiled and placed her hand onto Zack's gloved right one, startling him a little as he looked up to her, and she told him in comfort, "You'll find it. I know you will."

Remembering how Aerith's dreamcounterpart in Zack's dream gave his dreamcounterpart comfort, and how both were exactly the same, Zack couldn't help but feel comforted, and smiled, "Thank you, Aerith." and suddenly he wanted to do more to thank her, but didn't know what to do at the moment, until one memory from the dream sparked in his mind. He pictured a pink ribbon in Aerith's hair, just like the Aerith in his dreams.

That's it!

"Hey," Zack began, his face liting up, "To show my gratitude for that "hell-lloo" that woke me up... I'll buy you something."

"Oh, you don't have to." Aerith replied.

"Think of it as a friendship gift."

The young woman was a bit surprised by the kind gesture the young man was giving her. In the short time she'd known him, Zack's been brave, sweet and kind, and while a bit childish, he was actually a person Aerith discovered she'd want to hang out with.

Seeing that he was also serious, she finally smiled and nodded, standing up with him, and told him, "Okay...I know a store where they sell things."

* * *

 _A little later..._

"How's that?" Zack asked, as he stepped away after he tied the newly bought pink ribbon from the accessories store next to Cid's shop from helpful Moogles, and was actually proud of his handy work. It fitted nicely in Aerith's hair on the top.

Aerith tested her new ribbon and once she was positive that Zack had actually done it right and that it will stay on, she beamed a smile and turned to face him, saying happily, "Thank you, Zack! I'll always wear it from now on!" and two smiled at each other.

* * *

While Zack had been making sure that Genesis wasn't back in Traverse Town, he actually hanged out with Aerith for almost two hours before taking her back to the hotel where Leon and Yuffie were, the latter two relieved that Aerith was alright, and even they admitted that she looked beautiful with her new pink ribbon in her hair. Once Aerith told them that Zack had saved her from the Heartless, Leon actually thanked him and wished him luck on his journey.

After saying goodbyes and that he'll come back for another visit as soon as he is able, Zack then returned to the First District, thinking about his time hanging out with Aerith, and couldn't help but think that their time together was somewhat like a date.

He even blushed when he recalled how Aerith actually kissed him gently on the cheek.

The young swordsman stopped, which, through out the date, he even thought about the other woman he had a crush on, whom he hasn't seen in eight years...and was now currently stuck in the ' _Realm of Darkness_ '. Whatever that was. Zack was feeling a bit guilty for not realising what happened to Aqua or the others, from what Yen Sid told him.

Maybe Zack was a bit of an idiot and hadn't been paying attention on what Aqua said about their possible date once he became a hero. Maybe she knew that their date wasn't even possible, then thought about when she wanted to find Terra. Maybe those two were more than just friends. Zack thought back of the last time he'd seen Aqua, as well as...Serenity, who had, as Yen Sid had told him, disguised herself as ' _Sailor Moon_ '.

(Flash-Back: During the events of Sailor Moon: Birth By Sleep)

( **~Destiny's Union-KH: BBS~** )

A fourteen year old Zack was walking out of the coliseum gates with both Aqua and 'Sailor Moon' after the latter two had defeated Hades and his 'Snow Cone' monster in the final round of the games, for the young man was grunting in anger at the Lord of the Dead, "Stupid Hades... Next time, I'll put him in his place."

The trio then paused when Zack remembered the two women's victory, or really, Aqua's victory and told her with an excited smile, "Oh yeah! Aqua! You're the champ-we gotta celebrate!"

"That won't really be necessary." Aqua shook her head with a smile of her own, while 'Sailor Moon' wondered about celebrating, probably haven't celebrated much, Zack figured.

The young man then thought of another idea on how to celebrate, and held up a finger, suggesting with a charming smile, "Hey, how about one date?" for he couldn't resist two beautiful women who could fight and defend themselves and their friends.

Both women blushed heavily in realistion, though Aqua's face reddened darker, before she quickly and stutteredly said, "Huh!? Oh! You mean- No... I have to leave right away... Besides, I still have so much training to do..." obviously shocked about such gesture. No one asked her on a date before.

Zack half understood and replied, "Fair enough. And I'm still a work in progress, after all." before coming up with another idea and asked, "Well, how 'bout this-I become a hero, then we go on a date."

Though in his excitement, Zack didn't really understand when Aqua told him gently, "I...I can't make any promises."

"Yes!" Zack grinned, squating a little, before saying, "Great, it's settled. Hero-hood, here I come!" before taking off to train harder.

(End Flash-Back)

But it seemed that it wasn't meant to be, he realised. What had happened to Terra, Ven and Aqua? Who caused them to have such horrible fates? Mickey was fine. Jason and Grovyle, and 'Sailor Moon' all went back to where they came from. Zack then frowned in concern. What if Genesis was actually plotting to make Zack and Angeal to both disappear as well, like whoever had caused problems eight years ago to all of the worlds to ruin the lives of the three Keyblade wielders?

If that's the case, then Zack refused to allow Genesis to do that. If only he could just...go into his dreams without falling asleep into Midgar. Suddenly an idea hit him, and Zack pulled out his Starshard, deep in thought. While it seemed like a crazy idea, maybe he can go to Midgar himself.

( **~End Destiny's Union~** )

"It's worth a try." Zack decided, nodding to himself with determination. He was going to get answers out of Genesis and hopefully save Angeal from the darkness. Concentrating hard, Zack wished with all of his might to find the place from his dreams.

Granting his wish, the Starshard wisked him away into light towards his next destination. To find Midgar.

Surely that place in his dreams hold the clues to the answers he needs.

* * *

( **~Broken Reality-KH: Dream Drop Distance~** )

(Fragments from Zack's dreams)

 _Fragment 34: It's been a couple days since the Genesis invasion attack, and yet again, both Genesis and Angeal disappeared. To had to Zack's insult of injury, he couldn't get hold of Sephiroth either. He was on the SOLDIER floor, trying again and again on his PHS, but he got no answer._

 _One SOLDIER 3rd Class noticed Zack's frustration and couldn't help but ask, "Who are you trying to call?"_

 _Sighing and giving up, Zack puts away his phone while answering to apparently the newbie of the SOLDIER program, "Sephiroth. I haven't been able to reach him in ages."_

 _This came to a surprise, as the young 3rd Class muttered, before pointing out, "Haven't you heard? Mr. Sephiroth has shut himself iside the data room and hasn't come out. Handsets are prohibited in the data room, so there's not much you can do."_

 _Data room? Zack allowed the 3rd Class to continue, learning that Sephiroth was looking up on the history of the ShinRa Company's Science Department. When Zack had found Sephiroth shortly after the aftermath of the invasion, he noticed the Legendary SOLDIER's glare at Professor Hojo and even whispered to him not to trust the professor. Zack then realised that even Sephiroth hated the scientest, and, upon from what he learned about Jenova, he clearly understood why._

 _Fragment 35: Zack had gotten a call from Aerith about the flower wagon he'd promised to help her with, so he immediately set out to meet her at the Church in Sector 5. On his way, he noticed something was amiss at Sector 8 and quickly went to investigate._

 _To his shock, it was Cissnei who was facing apparently men who were not Genesis Clones, but men who wore different uniforms, and were apparently not happy that she was a Turk._

 _"Uh oh! Not good!" Zack gulped, before unsheathing his sword and rushed over to fight the group of five men, only to skid a stop when the two other Turks, Reno and Rude quickly appeared, and to the SOLDER's shock and disappointment, the two Turks quickly took out the uniformed men._

 _Reno taking two out with his speed and agility with his EMR smacking them with lighting strikes which was added on with a Lightning Materia, and Rude taking out another two with his powerful strength with massive punches that loud and sickening cracks were heard, before the two finished off the last one with ease._

 _Zack sighed as he puts away his sword, disappointed to have missed out the action. Reno on the other hand, pleased with himself and his partner, smirked at the youngerish man, saying, "All's well that ends well. So sorry, Slick."_

 _"You were a bit too late." Rude added, though he continued to hold the same stern expression._

 _Cissnei, healing herself with a cure materia, smiled at her two co-workers and told Zack, "Pretty good teamwork, huh?"_

 _"Yeah, no kidding." Zack admitted with a shrug. He heard rumors that Reno and Rude were nearly unstoppable as a team, but he never thought it was to be true. Now that he'd seen it in action, the two Turks were a pretty good team._

 _Fragment 36: After the Turks left, Zack went back on his way to Sector 5, though he was cleary surprised when Angeal, still with his white single wing, flew in and landed on the ground in front of him._

 _"Where have you been, Angeal!?" Zack demanded._

 _"Sorry. I've been busy." Angeal apologuised._

 _Zack rolled his eyes at his mentor, grumbling, "Yeah, well, not only I haven't heard from you, but even Sephiroth was busy himself."_

 _"How so?"_

 _"He's been hold up in the data room, looking up old reports and things like that." The younger SOLDIER 1st Class explained with a shrug. He then asked, a bit supiciously, "So what brings you here? These days, you're confusing me."_

 _Angeal paused for a few moments, before answering, with the same authority look he used to wear before he vanished with Genesis, "Genesis and Hollander are in Modeoheim. I've already informed Lazard as well."_

 _Zack blinked in surprise, before asking, "You came here to tell me that? Are you...on an assignment?"_

 _"I suppose I'm SOLDIER at heart. That hasn't changed." Angeal replied with a small shrug. "Those going to Modeohiem will pick you up for the mission." and before Zack could say anything else, the older man took off into the sky once again._

 _Seeing how he needed to hurry for his, apparently, next assignment, Zack then raced towards the church the meet with Aerith._

 _Fragment 37: Zack arrived and was just walking up the stairs to the Church when he sensed movement behind him. For the past few months in knowing Tseng, the Wutaiian's silent appearence hardly fazed him. Since Tseng was here, Zack realised that the Turk was going to Modeohiem as well. Well, the Turks were payed to go investigate as well._

 _"Zack." Tseng spoke up, knowing that the young SOLDIER knew he was there, "We are to leave for Modeohiem."_

 _"I know." Zack paused, explaining, "I just need a minute."_

 _But what he heard next made him quickly supicious, as Tseng informed him, "Aerith's not there right now."_

 _Zack turned around, wondering how the Turks even knew the young woman, asking, "How do you know Aerith?"_

 _For a moment, Tseng looked a bit uncomfortable, as he looked away slightly, replying, "It's a complicated matter."_

 _"Oh really?" Zack mocked. "She didn't mention anything about knowing you."_

 _Somewhat relieved, Tseng then told him, "If that's the case, then I won't either." just as a ShinRa chopper landed behind him, ready to take passengers. The Turks then turned and headed inside the chopper._

 _Seeing how he wasn't getting out of this without meeting up with Aerith, Zack sighed, then decided to get his mission over with, saying sarcastically, "Yeah, well, whatever I suppose." though none of them were aware that a white single feather was on the top step of the church before it was blown away in the wind by the chopper._

 _Zack would worry about Aerith's connection with Tseng later._

( **~End Broken Reality~** )

* * *

After five hours of searching the ruins in Midgar, the Turks decided to come up with another investigation on their enemy to the New ShinRa. When their President and Elena had awoken, Tseng had suggested that Rufus would return to HQ, which the latter agreed, before ordering them to continue the investigation. Elena was to accompany Rufus back for his protection, which she did as she was told, before Tseng, Reno and Rude continued to look around the ruined city.

Just then, a strange light zipped above them in the sky before zooming past them deep into the heart of the forest-covered ruins. The three men were stunned and confused at this strange sight.

"What the hell was that?" Reno asked, dumbfounded. "A shooting star?" though while the light looked just like a shooting star, he somehow doubted that was the case. Sure it was pretty, but it was weird at the same time.

"No." Rude spoke. "Shooting stars don't come out during the day." which he was right, though the sun was getting pretty close in setting.

"I'm afraid he's right." Tseng agreed, supicious on this. "Even more strange, it's headed straight into the ruins of Midgar."

"Well, it sure ain't whatever the enemy's up to, that's the sure." Reno pointed out. Now that he knew about the files he and his co-workers had found, and from what Tseng had theoried, the next step was to figure out why this was happening. But it looked like that would have to wait for a little bit. The light itself seemed harmless, but it was better to make sure, just in case.

"We must investigate that light. Let's go." Tseng commanded.

"You got it." Reno nodded.

"Yes, sir." Rude nodded.

Soon, the three men went to find out, unaware that they were to meet someone who was also somewhat part of their own situation.

* * *

While Zack was aware that he passed out again during his flight from Traverse Town, he found himself lying on the hard, pebbled ground that was covered in fern and moss from the years of growth.

Groaning while getting up, he grumbled, "Next time I'm in Traverse Town, I'm getting landing lessons from Merlin." making a mental note to remind himself on that.

When Zack stood up, at first he didn't know where he was, but when he noticed a old water fountain that was covered in the years of greenary, everything being in a complete wreck as if a meteor had hit it or something, and the broken and shockingly familiar building in a short distance, he gasped in shock to the point of doing a double-take.

But...how could this be? Zack had been certain that the city itself was nothing more than just a dream he kept on dreaming about since before his journey.

 _ **World: Midgar-Edge.**_

"No way! It's...It's Midgar!" Zack exclaimed aloud to himself. He couldn't believe it. He was actually in Midgar. But, something wasn't right. He was certain that he'd end up in his dreams. But instead, the Starshard landed him in a Midgar where it was abandoned for who knows how long. With ferns, trees, vines and moss growing all over the place, it was easy to not recongise this city at first.

Maybe Zack was going completely crazy, for now he was having a little trouble if he was still dreaming or not. If he was, then this was one crazy dream. He walked around a little, for the more he looked, the more he realised that at some point, this real Midgar had been badly damaged to the point of being abandoned, and clearly, it's been empty for like several years. It still looked modern like in his dreams, but he just didn't understand what was going on.

* * *

Little did Zack know, three men arounded a corner before quickly hiding, before watching him walk off into the direction of the Sector 8 train station. Tseng, Reno and Rude were shocked to see a familiar young man, with raven spiky hair, a long sword, the SOLDIER 1st Class Uniform.

"It can't be...!" Tseng whispered, shocked for the first time, and his normal cool demeanor briefly lost from his expression.

"No way...no way in hell that's him!" Reno stuttered, sharing a shocked glance with Rude who's eyes widened behind his sunglasses. Turning back to the direction Zack walked off into, Reno asked, "What the hell is he doing here?"

It then snapped in Tseng's mind, as he was the first to figure it out. "Perhaps he in a similiar situation as we are." he said. He turned to his two Turks and said, "We're going to confront him peacefully and question on what he knows."

The two younger men, while not understanding their superior's intentions, nodded.

* * *

As if by memory, Zack found himself at the Sector 8 train section, or what was left of it, and sighed. This was where the dream had always started before he left the Coliseum. Where his dream-self would fight Wutai troops disguised as ShinRa troops. For a moment, Zack could see a clear image of his dream-self fighting the soldiers and moss and stuff not there, before returning to reality.

Finally, after pinching himself and cringing slightly at the pain, Zack finally accepted that he was very awake, and yes, he was here, the heart of where everything began.

So Genesis and Yen Sid were right. Midgar really does exist. Though it still begs the question on what's going on. Zack looked around again, asking himself, "But...why is everything all covered in trees and stuff? Where is everyone?"

"Midgar's been abandoned and ruined for 8,000 years." a new, yet shockingly familiar voice spoke behind him, as if answering his question.

( **~The Clandestine Dark Suits/Turks-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

Startled, Zack whipped around, and his eyes widened in more shock and confusion, doing another double-take. There stood three men who stopped just a few paces in front of him. These guys...Zack recongised him, though like himself, they were slightly older than in his dreams. But no doubt it was them, and maybe, like Aerith and Yuffie, and Angeal and Zack himself, these guys had the same names as the Turks in his dreams.

Tseng looked about the same, except he looked a bit older. Rude looked the same, except that he had a goatee that was small. Reno...he looked exactly the same, but even from a bit of a distance, the redhead's hair has grown long at the back and tied up in a ponytail. But either way, no doubt, Zack felt that it was them. Even they were real.

"The Turks?" Zack blurted out.

As though expecting, Reno was the first to speak and smirked as trademark smirk, greeting with a casual wave of his hand, "Long time no see, Zack. You don't look any different, man."

Now he was even more confused. Zack again thought he was dreaming, and couldn't help but ask, "Huh? You uh...know me?"

Now it was the Turks' turn to look surprised, as Reno blinked, "What do you mean _"Know"_ you? Seriously, don't you recongise us?" before admitting, "Even if my head's still a bit foggy." which it was. He still couldn't remember straight about his own 'past'.

"Wait a minute...if you guys are real...then..." Zack trailled off, now even more lost. This was really making his head hurt, though it was a little clear that maybe these guys were confused by Genesis too, but at least they were not on the crimson man's side. Still, Zack felt lost. Reno and Rude on the other hand, puzzled that Zack was obviously thinking that this was a dream, looked at each other in confusion.

But before either of them could continue, Tseng interrupts, "We'll worry about that later. In the meantime, what brings you here?" he questioned to Zack.

Seeing how this Tseng was like the Tseng in his dreams, Zack rubbed the back of his head, ruffling his own hair, saying a bit awkwardly, "Let's just say...it's kinda complicated." before asking his own question, "You said that Midgar's been abandoned for 8,000 years, right? What happened to it?"

Realising that Zack did not know the history, Tseng explained, "They say that a Calamity destroyed this place and it almost destroyed the world as well. No one knows how it's possible, since the city had the same technology we do today."

"Really..." Zack thought, frowning. So the technology in a town nearby Midgar was the same as Midgar used to have, huh? Even after 8,000 years. Somehow, the Calamity sounded familiar, but he couldn't figure out why.

Deciding to worry about the 'brain-issues' as he would call it, later, Reno then asked, all in business, "You looking for something?" while he was still puzzled about the shooting star earlier, though, for some reason, he had a feeling that it had something to do with Zack's sudden arrival.

"I'm looking for two people; one of them is my friend, and the other...well, he's causing a lot of trouble." Zack replied. Suddenly, now that he mentioned it, somehow, if Midgar was real, then maybe Modeohiem was real too and if Genesis and Angeal were here, then maybe they're both expecting him in that place. Plus, if the Turks existed, then the technology were real as well.

If he could get these guys to help him get there, then it would be less of a headache. "Hey, is there a helicopter or something close by I can hitch a ride on?" Zack asked.

"Why do ya want a helicopter?" Reno asked.

"I want to get Modeohiem."

It didn't take a scientest to figure out why Zack wanted to go to Modeohiem, and, for some reason, the Turks suddenly felt that maybe that was another part of the mystery to their own puzzle.

"There's a helicopter service just outside of Kalm near Midgar. You should find the exit of this place." Rude answered.

"Great. Thanks." Zack nodded.

"Why Modeohiem?" Tseng asked, wanting to make sure.

"I think there's a clue to my problems there."

Suddenly Reno cursed loudly, causing the other men to look at him as he suddenly remembered and mentally kicked himself, "I forgot! The Boss wanted us to head over there for clues too! I think there's another kid who wanted to go there too, and I think I know who he is too." for he remembered Rufus also telling him to investigate Modeohiem earlier, not to mention he got a phone call from, whom Reno had recongised, Cloud Strife who also wanted to go there.

Seeing this as an oppintunity, Tseng then ordered the two Turks, "Then, we'll all go. Rude, you and Elena safe-guard the President."

"Yes, sir." Rude replied.

"You guys coming too?" Zack asked, though he figured that maybe it was safer if someone else drove the helicopter, for Zack had no experience with that kind of technology at all. The most powerful vehicle he rode was Pegasus back at the Coliseum, if you didn't want to count on riding Cerberus the three headed dog in the Underworld to face Hades to rescue Meg's soul.

Reno again grinned and shrugged dismissively, "We're going to the same place, so we might as well get to know each other better." nodding to Tseng who nodded in return, gestuing Zack to follow him, while Rude went into another direction.

Zack hesitated a bit, before groaning, before following the Turks, as if this was an assignment and that he was a SOLDIER 1st Class, grumbling to himself, "Well, whatever, I guess. Whaaatever..."

( **~End The Clandestine Dark Suits/Turks~** )

While Zack knew he never rode in a helicopter before, he felt somewhat at ease that even this ride was familiar. It was an easy trip from the ruins of Midgar to the service near Kalm. At the helicopter service, Zack, Reno and Tseng met up with a young man with spiky blonde hair, wearing a uniform that looked a bit like Zack's, twenty years old, and for some reason, even Zack felt that this guy was familiar.

None the less, after retrieving the chopper, and after the young man stated that he wanted to go to Modeohiem as well, Zack didn't mind. He found it surprising that Reno was actually talented in flying these things, which he said to the slightly surprised Zack before during take off, "Always loved these babies."

Soon enough, the four were off to Modeohiem, for Zack hopes to locate Angeal and Genesis and actually felt that they were getting closer. During the trip, he actually fell asleep, as did the young blonde-haired man.

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's dreams)

 _Fragment 38: During the trip to Modeohiem, the chopper was unexpectedly attacked and brought down into a crash landing. Fortunately, Zack, Tseng and two inferytmen troopers survived and had landed into the soft but cold snow in the mountains of Modeohiem. While they had no signal at where they were to call for help, Zack was optimisic, pointing that they were in one piece and that they would be okay, shrugging off Tseng's comment in being used to this kind of terrian, for Zack is a country boy._

 _He led the others towards their destination, unfazed by the cold tempreture, as was a trooper who was keeping up the same pace as him, while Tseng and another trooper were struggling in the cold climate._

 _Zack and the trooper who sounded two years younger than him, quickly got to know each other, for while Zack mentioned he came from Gongaga, the trooper came from Nibelhiem, how both of them were laughing that both names of their hometowns were backwater. The trooper than introduced himself as Cloud, fifteen years old, and Zack suddenly made another friend._

 _Fragment 39: The group then found a factory where it was overrun by Genesis copies, which had been abandoned long before Genesis deserted. As Zack went to investigate, he found Genesis threatening Hollander, whom Cloud tried to capture but ended up chasing, while Zack confronted Genesis who was showing more signs of degrading._

 _In the end, Genesis then committed suicide, saying about how he will accept his fate and take the world with him. Zack, unable to save him, then raced to confront Hollander..._

* * *

"Aw hell!" Reno's cursed voice awoke Zack and the young man from their sleep, for they suddenly realised that the helicopter jerking.

"What is it?" Tseng asked, concerned over the headset.

"We're out of gas!" Reno grunted, "Gotta make emergancy landing, boss."

Emergancy landing? This sounded supiciously like the dream he just had, Zack realised. He suddenly heard a bit of groaning and turned to the young man next to him, and realised that he actually looked green. "Hey. You doin' okay?" he asked, a bit concerned.

The young man, Cloud, nodded, admitting, "Just a bit queasy. But I'm fine."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Reno managed to land the chopper safely near a cliff, and everyone got out, while the redhead checked the fuel-pump to see what happened. What he found made him grumble in sheer annoyance.

"Care to explain, Reno?" Tseng questioned his second in command.

Reno sighed, before standing up and facing his superior, explaining, "Somebody must've sucked up the tank half-dry before we went to the helicopter service. We're pretty stuck, sir."

Zack and Cloud, who were both lingering by, approached the two Turks, before the former said optimisically, "At least we didn't have a crash landing. We'll be alright."

This made Reno grin a little, admitting, "You're pretty optimistic about this." before chuckling, "That's what I like about you."

"Yeah, well, I'm used to this kind of thing." Zack shrugged.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Tseng then informed to the group, "Alright then, we would've reached Modeohiem by now if we didn't run out of fuel. So, we're going to need to make up for lost time."

Deciding that he would follow the path his dream-self had, Zack told the others, "Right, I think I have a fair idea about this path. Follow me, please!" heading up towards the path, as it continued to snow. Without much else to do, Tseng, Reno and Cloud followed, not minding Zack's request. Plus, he did say please, and well, it was complicated to say when he didn't know any better.

None the less, all four of them were in for a fight that would not go as they would hope.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry again about this being late. Had a little trouble, but as you can see about Midgar...suprise! More shall be revealed in the later chapters, as you all better brace yourselves for the next chapter, because it will not be pretty.**

 **Again to HiddenXEmotion, thanks for reviewing. I'm glad you like this so far. As for where I came up with involving Sailor Moon into this, well, I had this crossover idea since 2003, back when I started out in mixing Sailor Moon with Pokemon, Cardcaptors, Shrek and Ice Age. You can look up my "Sailor Moon Continuum" parts one and two in my profile story-list(which I'm in the progress of re-writing to make it better).**

 **See you in the next chapter!**


	11. CHAPTER 10: Reality repeating Dreams

**Author's note: Sorry that it's late. I was meant to update a few weeks ago, but I had to update another story and cancel the worked on chapter instead.**

 **But now it's back. Oh, and bring a box of tissues because this chapter is going to be emotional.**

 **Okay, let's move on and please remember the important notes here:**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories, thoughts and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I hold no rights to Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy VII, Pokemon or Sailor Moon.**

* * *

CHAPTER 10: Reality repeating Dreams.

Zack was pretty surprised that he knew the way leading to Modeohiem on the trail in the peaks of the mountains near the village by memorizing what his dreamself did as though he knew the way by heart. He wasn't sure why, but was as though he was following by memory of his life rather than just memory from dreams. Fighting off against lingering monsters with the aid of the others, and even Cloud was surprisingly good in his swordsman skills. Reno's EMR did the job, which made Zack wonder if the redhead had similiar dreams too. Tseng's gunsmanship skills proved execellent as well.

What also surprised Zack was that there were no Heartless around, which meant that this world was somehow protected from the darkness, even though he had a hunch that Genesis had no control over the Heartless, and he certainly knew that Angeal didn't either.

As they went, it was getting colder as it was still snowing, but it didn't faze him what all. It wasn't fazing Cloud either. Their two companions on the other hand, was a different story. Reno seemed fairly okay, but Zack could've sworn he heard the redhead grumble in slight irritation, "Ugh...I hate being cold."

However, he did lag behind as he kept on eye on Tseng who seemed to be struggling against the cold. Obviously the Wutaiian wasn't adapted to the cold and didn't go anywhere near places like this that often.

( **~Eternal Moments-KH:BBS~** )

Worried for his superior, Reno paused as he allowed Tseng to catch up and then turned to gaze at the two that were ahead of them and called up, "Hey! Why don't you two spikes go on ahead? We'll catch up in a little while." while Zack and Cloud both paused in their steps to gaze at the two Turks. Both could tell that the two men behind them were nearly half-frozen.

Seeing how Reno didn't want to leave Tseng behind and understanding perfectly well, Zack was hesitated to leave the Turks behind but knew that the two men can take care of themselves and he did hope that they would catch up and not turn into Turkcicles, called back to Reno, "Just don't fall too far behind!"

After the redhead promised that the two of them will, Zack nodded before turn back to the track, in which Cloud stayed at the same pace as him, not fazed by the cold either. While Zack wasn't certain of the blond next to him was actually named Cloud as well or not, but this guy and Cloud in his dreams are identical, just like Zack himself and his dream counterpart.

Instead of questioning the name which would sound rude, Zack instead commented, "You're doing okay."

Cloud shrugged, a bit bashful at the compliment that he hardly gets from others other than his family and friends back at home, and replied, "Well, I'm a country boy, too. I live near the Chocobo Ranch."

While Zack didn't know much about the Chocobo Ranch, he then replied with a smile, "That explains it." before asking, "Just curious, what brings you out here?"

While a bit surprised, after briefly and having accidently earsdroped on Zack's muttering about dreams, and that Reno had forgotten to cut off the commucation switch during his and Tseng's conversation about 'memories of their previous lives' and ShinRa Company's war against some military organzation known as Militas Ultra who had been at war with them for the past six years, Cloud decided that maybe he can trust Zack in revealing his problems.

Plus, he couldn't help but feel like he's known Zack much longer than their first meeting just hours ago. "I want to find clues too." Cloud admitted, "Maybe Modeohiem can answer the questions about my dreams."

"Dreams?" Zack asked, a bit surprised. Did that mean that Cloud was having the same problem as he was?

Cloud nodded and explained how he's been having them a lot lately, but unlike Zack's dreams which had been going forward since he left Olympus Coliseum, Cloud's dreams always repeated to how he saw another version of himself with identical features in a seemly ghost town of Nibelhiem which felt home, and how...it was burnt to the ground by a silver haired soldier named Sephiroth who was originally a hero.

At the mention of Sephiroth mentally worried Zack. There was no way Sephiroth would do such a thing, right? It suddenly felt familiar to him, but he hoped that he was wrong about this. Instead, the real surprise came when Sephiroth's name was mentioned, especially in this world. "You know about Sephiroth?" He asked.

"Yeah." Cloud nodded, "You know him?"

Rather than saying that he fought against Sephiroth in a competition, Zack instead went what everyone else in his home world would say, "Everyone knows about Sephiroth." before commenting about Nibelhiem, "Huh, Nibelhiem...such a backwater name."

Cloud smirked in agreement and added, "I heard that Gongaga is too."

"Ditto on that!" Zack laughed, and now that he thought about it, his dream-self's hometown's name did sound ridiculous. But at the same time...it felt home to him too and that was another mystery on how or why. Especially when a meteor nearly destroyed this world 8,000 years ago.

"Like you've been there."

"I haven't." Zack grinned, "But there used to be a Mako Reactor there, right?" and when Cloud nodded to confirm it, the former then repeated what his dreamself said, "A mako reactor outside Midgar usually means..."

"Nothing else out there." Zack and Cloud both finished in unison. Both stared at each other for a moment, before laughing together, quickly liking each other. Yeah, the two of them can get used to each other.

Feeling like he made a new friend already, Zack introduced himself, "I'm Zack. What's your name?"

"My name is Cloud." Cloud replied.

"Pleased to meetcha!" Zack said, and the two shook hands, forming a new friendship.

What they didn't realise was that there was more to their meeting than meets the eye. ( **~End Eternal Moments~** )

* * *

( **~Mt. Gagazet-FFX2~** )

About another hour later, Zack and Cloud, with Reno and Tseng still trailing behind, eventually arrived at the near top of the mountain, and the former two discussed on how Zack held a similiar situation to Cloud's one and how he admitted that their meeting was similiar to their meeting in his dreams, and Cloud agreed that their dreams that led them this far was messed up.

A thought came to the blond-haired man and he asked in slight concern, "Do you think it's kind of...related?"

Zack shrugged, just as clueless as his new friend and said, "I don't know, man, but I think it's the best salution." before he noticed nothing and muttered Cloud to look, which the latter did.

Just below the cliff they were on, was an old, rusty building which had the very faded logos, but the two of them could even tell that it belonged to ShinRa. Question was, how, if the company was still brand new today, especially back in Edge, as Cloud had seen. The one in Midgar was in the similiar state as this building. Difference was that the building here was covered in years of layers of ice and snow and no doubt possibly freezing cold and even dangerous to explore. Not to mention that it looked deserted.

As Zack and Cloud cautionly crept closer to get a better look, their Turk companions finally caught up to them and Tseng and Reno both instantly knew what this building was, something that the two younger men couldn't figure out just yet.

Tseng then explained to Zack and Cloud, "That's a mako excavation test site."

"Or at least what's left of it." Reno commented as he noticed how old this place was. He then shrugged and said, "I've heard that this place got blown up years ago."

As Zack gazed the remains of the excavation test site, the more he had a feeling that something was within the building. Maybe the real Genesis and Angeal were here. Then remembering that Genesis had committed suicide in the dream, made him wonder how he survived. Unless he took flight while the dream Zack didn't even know it and had thought for the worst. Either way, there was a pit bad gut feeling that was starting to form in his stomach, and he had a hunch that something bad was about to happen.

He had to look for himself. Zack just knew that something was going to happen. Standing up from his crouched position, he told the group, "I want to check it."

While surprised on how the swordsman wanted to investigate despite not being a member of Shinra, the Turks both suddenly had a hunch that Zack's business here was more than just a coincidence. Normally Tseng would say no, but since Zack had no idea about his past yet was still willing to check it out anyway, he mentally sighed and decided to allow it just this once.

"Our primary objective is to investigate Modeoheim. We can't afford to lose people here. The site may seem deserted..." Tseng trailled off.

Reno decided to save his mentor the trouble and continued, his expression now all business, "But you never know when there's an enemy in there. It's best to infiltrate without catching attention."

"So it's sneak in without being seen, right?" Zack theoried.

"Bingo!" Reno grinned. "You're a decent learner."

Ignoring Reno's praise, Tseng then informed, "We'll split up and meet in the village somewhere." before questioning to Zack if he knew his way around.

After both Zack and Cloud replied that they both had a decent sense of direction, Reno also cautioned them about how to watch out for their body tempretures and don't stop moving if they want to avoid in freezing to death and that to keep moving and to more pyshical activitiy, which Zack realised that translated as to keep doing his usual thing.

( **~End Mt. Gagazet~** )

* * *

Once that was settled, the four of them split up to begin the investigation while trying to keep their body tempretures from dropping. Zack ventured into the site after jumping from the cliff which wasn't that high at all, so he landed safely. He then snuck around while watching out for enemies, as Tseng and Reno had advised him and Cloud.

However, just as he approached what appeared to be an elevator which, like everything else in the facility, it was rusted and old, and Zack, while not having entered an elevator before in his life(or at least, he thought he didn't), even he could tell that it didn't look safe to use, especially after 8,000 years.

He then recalled how Genesis threatened Hollander and stated that Jenova cells could be the key to stop his degradation. Zack sighed, and wished that he knew the answers to all of this, but in the end, he was led to more and more questioned.

But just as he sighed and wondered where to look next since he had a feeling that everything in the lower floors were rusted and most likely caved in, once again the familiar jolt hit his head hard, and Zack grunted, his vision darkening once more.

"Not again...!" Zack grunted, trying to stay awake. But in end, he collasped to the ground and passed out, and sleep took over his mind.

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's dreams)

( **~Shaded Truths-KH:BBS~** )

 _Fragment 40: After leaving the area where Genesis had fallen, and feeling guilty for being unable to save him, Zack instead ventured back outside, his mind onto why Genesis would die like that. He then noticed that Cloud and Tseng were both absent and wondered if they went ahead to the Modeohiem village, so he went there instead._

 _Noticing how the village had no people in it, Zack feared for the worst and went to investigate a Modeo Public Bath house, and found Cloud and Tseng knocked out but both still alive. Being pointed into another room, Zack went into the direction and found himself on the second floor in a boiler room, where he found Angeal standing in the middle of the room, the Buster Sword in his hand._

 _"It should have been me... I should have dealt with Genesis." Angeal spoke, his voice lined in sorrow. So he knew about Genesis' 'death'._

 _"Yeah." Zack sighed, before asking, "Then why did you send me?"_

 _As though beginning to regret it, Angeal turned to his former student and told him sternly, "To prepare you... for your next fight." holding up his sword._

 _"Have you lost it?" Zack demanded, before quickly dodging his former mentor's attack and demanded him to stop._

 _"Someone's waiting for you?"_

 _"Angeal...don't do this..." Zack shook his head, while forcing himself through mental strain to bring out his sword, and only had the chance to block Angeal's second attack._

 _"Very good, Angeal!" Hollander's voice came in as the other two men noticed him trotting into the room with a very confident fashion. He held a sinister and cruel grin as he continued, "It is time to extract revenge for our family's suffering!"_

 _Zack flinched in shock and confusion. Family? What was the crazy and stupid scientest talking about?_

 _"No!" Angeal snapped at Hollander, anger growing into him. "My father is dead!"_

 _Unfazed, Hollander shrugged, "Fine, then do it for your mother."_

 _The former 1st Class SOLDIER continued to glare at the mad scientest and told him bitterly with a scowl, "My mother's guilt made her take her own life."_

 _Upon hearing this Zack remembered the lifeless body of Angeal's mother and how he hit him, now realising that he had been wrong. Angeal didn't kill his own mother. She killed herself. Now Zack felt bad for wrongly accusing his old friend for something that he didn't do. Question was, why did Mrs. Hewley kill herself? What was going on?_

 _"Guilt?" Hollander questioned, before grinning as he began to laugh and said, "How terribly misguided! She should have been proud...Proud that she was the namesake for our expirement._ "Project G," _Or should I say,_ "Project Gillian." _"_

 _In more anger and fury, Angeal lunged himself to the scientest and grabbed him by his coat, yelling, "Don't say her name!"_

 _Ignoring the threat in Angeal's tone and pushing away his hand, Hollander continued, "Gillian, the woman implanted with Jenova cells. Genesis, who had her genes mapped onto him during the fetal stage. Yes, Genesis was a failure, I'll admit it. But you, Angeal... You were actually bred inside Gillian's body. You..you are perfection."_

 _Zack's eyes widened in shock. So Angeal and Genesis were both experimented on during both pregencies of their mothers and only Angeal succeeded while Genesis...was suffering degradation? Even worse, neither of them knew about this until just before the end of the Wutai War._

 _No...it can't be._

 _Looking away in guilt, Angeal ignored Hollander and told his former pupil, "Zack...I am perfect. A perfect... monster. My cells can absorb genetic trains, and pass them along to others."_

 _Fragment 41: Angeal had then wanted to show Zack what he really is and prevented Hollander from getting anywhere near them, before he transformed into a large monster after his clones attacked him, forming into one, and had with a trident and scratches Zack on the face leaving a cut. This made Zack forcing himself to fight against his friend in the most emotional fight he's ever fought in his life._

( **~End Shaded Truths~** )

 _In the end, Zack came out victorious, but not without a sacrifice. Angeal returned to his human form, but he had degraded and layed on the floor, dying. Zack stood there, heartbroken, guilty and horrified all at once. Still, Angeal thanked him, and gave him his Buster Sword... as it began to rain, and Zack struggled to hold back his tears._

 _Then...Angeal died..._

* * *

"ANGEAL!" Zack screamed as he woke up from the nightmare that he had just experienced. He was suddenly freezing and he shuddered, suddenly remembering where he was and mentally slapped himself for having been knocked out unconscious by those jolt-dream states...

Suddenly remembering what he saw, and ignoring his stiff muscles of the cold, Zack stood up and thought about it in horror. In his dream...Angeal died and even worse, Zack himself had been forced to do so. He also then realised that, through out his journey, his battles against the enemies Genesis had sent in in a couple of encounters were similiar to the battles in his dreams.

The dreams were matching reality's!

No...this...is not happening! Zack had to find Angeal, the real Angeal. His Angeal, before it was too late.

With that in mind, and remembering the way to Modeohiem village like his dreamself went through, Zack immediately ran, and as he ran towards his next destination, his body tempreture was returning and the bitter cold was easing off to the point where he didn't notice anymore.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the abandoned Modeo Public Bath house, after not finding anything in their searched areas and waiting for Zack while tempting to go out and find him to make sure he was okay, Cloud, Tseng and Reno were searching around the place, as Cloud was on the second floor.

It seemed unusually familiar to him, but how was that possible if this was his first time being here? So far, Cloud still hasn't found what he was looking for here, though he had felt more familiar feelings, but that only led him to more questions than anything else.

"Ya know, I don't think there's anything here that'll give us some sort of clue." Reno spoke up as he glanced around on the first floor. It was still cold, and he mentally cursed himself for not packing up winter gear to at least prevent himself or his hands from becoming frozen. Not that his hands were frozen, but it was still uncomfortable.

"Keep looking." Tseng told him.

Rolling his eyes, Reno continued to scan the area, while trying to prevent himself from falling asleep. The cold always made him feel very tired, but he shook his head and told himself to keep looking. He glanced up to find Cloud continuing his search and called up, "Hey, Cloud. You found anything yourself yet?"

"No." Cloud replied once he turned his attention to the redhead. He then added, "But, at the same time, I feel like this place is...familiar to me."

"Ah, having a sense of deja vu, huh?" Reno grinned. He knew fully well on Cloud and apparently, Zack's situations, even if the two of them didn't know it yet. Heck, Reno himself was still coming to terms of his and everyone's situation within ShinRa, including their former comrades.

Cloud quirked an rather annoyed eyebrow at Reno's laidback attitude on the mission, even sounding cocky. He then glanced at Tseng who seemed to be too used to Reno's personality but was still dismayed by it, and when the Wutaiian noticed him staring at him, Cloud then asked, "No offence, but, he is always this annoying?"

"He can get worse at times." Tseng replied, much to Reno's annoyance.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean!?" Reno demanded, feeling slightly insulted.

( **~The Key of Darkness-KH:BBS~** )

"In other words, you haven't changed the slightest." A familiar man's voice suddenly spoke up, alarming the three other men in the room as they looked around to find the owner of the voice. It sounded familiar to them.

When Cloud, Reno and Tseng did find the source, they spotted Genesis who stood near the path towards the upper level, his crimson sword in hand. The Turks tensed, as though they knew something about this man, which Cloud couldn't figure out how or why.

"Who are you?" Cloud asked.

"Someone neither of you remember straight away." Genesis replied with a smirk. Perfect. More people that were just like Angeal and Zack, without memories of their previous lives. Though Genesis had been here before confronting Zack, but he wasn't about to admit it.

Reno furrowed his brows as he demanded, "What do you want?"

Shrugging as though this was just a casual conversation, Genesis replied with a smirk, "...Revenge, or perhaps, a little play time." holding up his hand and activiated a spell materia. Thrusting his hand, his fire materia was chanted and he blasted it at Tseng who was thrown back unexpectedly against the wall where he slumped and was knocked out, the air from his lungs sucked out of him.

"Tseng!" Reno cried out in horror, before he too was blasted by the fire materia spell as well and he was easily knocked out and injured as he landed hard on the floor, quickly too weak to get up straight away. His vision was blurry and was quickly losing consciousness.

Cloud was horrified at what just happened to the two Turks, then fury came seconds later as he turned to glare at Genesis who smirked at him. Just as Cloud was taking out a sword he was loaned to by his father, the crimson-coated man was much quicker as he blocked Cloud's attack when the younger man leaped and attempted to slash at him, before knocking him over with a Lightning Materia this time, and Cloud landed hard and heavily on the ground, quickly knocked out.

Smirking and he did feel a bit bad for doing such a thing, Genesis knew that the trails were not yet over. Besides, Zack was his top priority. He needed to accept the truth. So, the former SOLDIER instead headed up to the next level to await for his next opponent. ( **~End The Key of Darkness~** )

* * *

By the time Zack arrived at the, once again abandoned village of Modeohiem, his hunch told him that something was wrong in the bath house. He hoped that he was wrong, but he was quickly worried about the others when he couldn't find them after he left the facility. He wondered where the townspeople were, but knew that he didn't have time to worry about them right now.

As he fought lingering monsters that seemed a bit familiar to him, he made his way into the bath house, and to his horror, his hunch was right. Zack wished that it wasn't. Because there layed the unconscious forms of Cloud, Tseng and Reno, who had been like this for at least an hour before he arrived. Good news was they were moving slightly, showing him that they were still alive.

In guilt for not being here on time, Zack rushed towards Cloud who clenched his teeth as he groaned and tried to push himself up, but failed. The former gently helped him sit as he cried out softly, "Cloud! You okay?" worriedly.

"Y-yeah." Cloud replied.

"Take it easy." Zack told him, as he handed Cloud one of the healing potions he managed to stock up back in Traverse Town, and after he knew that Cloud would be okay and the blond did tell him that he'll be fine, Zack then went over to the Turks since the two of them were close to each other on the ground and wall.

"Tseng! Reno!" Zack cried out again, hoping that the two other men were alright.

Reno groaned as he regained consciousness, before grumbling, "Ugh...please don't shout...I have a massive headache." since he did hit his head when he was knocked over, and shut his eyes to ease of the said headache.

From the slightly shorch burns on their shirts told Zack that fire was involved. Or a fire spell. Someone must've casted fire magic on the group and had caught them by surprise. After giving Reno another potion and telling himself that he had at least bought seven(with a bit of help from Merlin before he left Traverse Town and after he left Aerith until the next visit), Zack turned his attention to Tseng who didn't seem badly hurt as much, but still rendered injured.

"Who did this?" Zack asked.

Tseng took a moment before he answered, "A man...with a red sword."

Upon the word of a man with a red sword, Zack narrowed his eyes in anger. He didn't need to ask the discription of who it was since he knew immediately who was responsible by just those six words from the Turk. Genesis.

Nodding to himself, he told the injured men with determination, "You guys stay here. I'll handle him!" before standing up, and, making sure that the others would be alright, Zack took off and he had a feeling that Genesis would be up in the boiler room...where...

Where in his nightmare that he had to kill Angeal.

* * *

Turned out that Zack was right, because in the middle of the breaking apart room, was Genesis himself, as though he was waiting for him. Genesis held a smirk on his face as Zack approached before stopping just halfway towards him, with a furious look on his face. Right now, Zack didn't care how Genesis survived the fall from who knows how long. All that mattered was that the former SOLDIER would pay for all the horrible things he did.

"I gather your friends are still alive." Genesis spoke. It wasn't a question.

"What the hell's wrong with you, Genesis!?" Zack shouted instead. "It's because of YOU that the Angeal in my dreams is dead!" he didn't know why, but for some reason, it was as though Angeal was already dead and he felt like crying right now, but he managed to hold both that and his anger as much as possible in to avoid in being overcome by darkness.

( **~Enter the Darkness-KH:BBS~** )

Undaunted by Zack's anger, Genesis instead held up his sword at the younger man and told him, with a frown this time, "That is where you're wrong. Death is an everyday thing to everyone in the world. Rebirth on the other hand...is a rare thing. Only those destined to go on is given a second life, but the result of it is memory loss until a...certain event."

Unable to stand his random words for any much longer, Zack withdrew his own sword from his back and stood in a fighting position, his sword clutched in a tight, fierce grip in his hands, as he yelled, "Shut up! I'm sick and tired of you trying to mess up my head! Where's Angeal!?"

"Angry, are we?" Genesis smirked, before mocking a sigh of exasperation and said, "What a pity. Alright, you'll have to go through me!" also standing into a fighting position.

Discarding his wing for now, Genesis then rushed towards Zack, attempting to stab him with his sword. Zack jumped out of the way and blocked the second attempt before dodge-rolling. He then yelled, "Take that!" and thrusted his sword in a powerful downward thrust at Genesis who leaped away before he could even get a scratch on him.

The two then charged at each other and their swords clashed. They pushed against each other before they separated and clashed again from side, to up, to down, to side again, and tried to stab each other, but kept on blocking each other's attacks. Genesis then thrusted another fire materia attack on Zack who could only block with his sword, but still felt the intensed heat from the fires and hissed sharply by the touch.

He then was caught off-guard when Genesis thrusted a Lightning materia spell this time just as Zack lowered his sword to catch his breath, and was blown back by the jolt of electricity and nearly landed hard onto the ground. But Zack did manage to back-flip in midair and land safely on his feet before blocking and clashing against the crazily fast former SOLDIER's blade again. Genesis wasn't as fast as Sephiroth, but was still fast enough to give Zack some trouble.

Zack then responsed by summoning his ice magic that he somehow gained back when he first arrived in Traverse Town and while Genesis looked up to see a large shard of ice appearing over his head, it gave Zack a chance to distract him and continued to clash, which allowed the ice shard to smash against the top of his enemy's head, and the crimson man stumbled, allowing the younger man to body-slam into him, and attempted to slash at his chest.

However, Genesis stepped aside and kicked Zack on the back of the head, causing the younger man to stumble, before he saw light from the corner of his eye and jumped out of the way before he was hit by another fire materia spell. But he wasn't fast enough to block another one of Genesis's attacks.

The crimson man preformed a Black Flurry attack three times, which left Zack no room to block or dodge as he screamed out as he was hit. Once the attacks were done, Zack weakly but still strong enough rolled out of the way and took a potion to at least restore half of his health, before blocking Genesis's sword again.

Zack then remembered the attack he used before he met Leon and quickly tried to focus on it, and just as Genesis prepared to slice him at the chest, the younger man then charged, jumping and striked at him, upwards, downwards, left, right, corner-right down, corner-left down, corner-right up, and corner-left down, yelling, "Here we go! Go! Go! Go!" and finished off with a final single line strike and even managed to make slashed cuts on Genesis's body and knocked him back.

But just when Zack gave out a battle cry and leaped before attempting to slash downward with his sword in midair, Genesis quickly recovered and blocked the attack which caused their swords to spark slightly, before the latter roughly shoved the former to the side. Zack landed hard onto the floor and slid roughly until he came to a stop.

( **~End Enter the Darkness~** )

Despite that he was using up another potion to heal himself, Zack grunted while knowing that he was too exhausted to continue to fight Genesis who, despite suffering injuries of his own, still stood tall and seemed as though he was unfazed by his injuries. Still, Genesis was slightly disappointed.

"You are afraid of knowing the truth." Genesis said, with pity. "You cannot bare that your dreams are not dreams at all. You cannot bare that the Angeal you and I know will be long gone."

Zack glared up at Genesis and yelled, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

"Face it..." Genesis said, ignoring Zack's comment, now with a serious frown. "Nothing will ever be the same anymore." and with that, he summoned a corridor of darkness behind him and walked into it, disappearing once again.

The spiky-black haired man grunted, even more furious but tried to bite down his anger. Well of course things weren't the same as before! But, what did Genesis mean by never being the same anymore? Zack then recalled how he learned about the fates of the friends he made eight years ago;

Ventus lost his heart and landed in a never-ending coma unless he gets his heart back.

Aqua is trapped in this so called Realm of Darkness.

Terra vanished into thin air.

Jason and Grovyle both returned to the future.

And Serenity, who had been under the guise of 'Sailor Moon', returned to the past in which here in the present, she was gone into the Afterlife.

Only Mickey was alright and safe. But he was a king, and maybe he was looking for answers to at least find a way to save Terra, Ven and Aqua.

Zack sighed in concern. Did that mean that he couldn't change the fate of what was going to happen to Angeal and himself? Did Genesis really want to kill them by making them lose their heads and fall into darkness? He didn't understand, and somehow right now, half of him didn't want to understand. That half wanted things back the way they were-not having to worry about the dreams, training to become a hero, laugh with his friends back at home, and train possibly with Angeal and Hercules.

But the other half did want to understand. It wanted to know all of the answers to his dreams and why Zack himself, Angeal, Genesis, even Cloud, the Turks, Aerith, and Yuffie were involved, and why Genesis was doing all of the horrible things like in the dreams.

Before he could think of anything else, however, he suddenly heard multiple screams from outside, alarming him. Zack suddenly realised that the screams came from Cloud, Tseng and Reno. Gravely worried about the others, and taking yet another potion(while making a mental note to save the last one), he stood up and as quickly as he could raced out of the boiler room and back into the main area where he left the others to recover.

( **~"With Pride"-CRISIS CORE-FFVII~** )

When he arrived, he gasped in horror as the three of them were once again knocked down, this time all of them lying flat on the floor, though by their weak unmovable movements, they were still alive. Zack was speechless at the sight of his friends on the first floor, before he sensed movement behind him and turned to see a shamed and guilty Angeal who avoided eye contact with him, his Buster Sword in hand.

How could've Angeal do this to Cloud, Tseng and Reno? What did they do to him or Genesis? None of this made any sense at all!

In hurt, anger and betrayal, Zack shook his head, before demanding while trying to control himself, and yelled, "What the hell did you do!? Have you lost it!?"

"I discovered what I truly am..." Angeal said, his voice shaking in guilt and shame. "I was never meant to be reborn."

"What!?" Zack asked, now even more confused. Reborn? What was going? What was he and Genesis talking about? This entire reborn thing was definately making his head hurt even more.

Angeal gazed at his young pupil who was a friend and a son to him. He then continued, with a pleading look in his eyes, and a hint of...sadness. "Zack...I am asking you, for our friendship...put an end to me."

Zack's eyes widened as his mind quickly absorbed what Angeal just said. Memories of the nightmare of the similiar thing that happened...Was it telling him of Angeal's fate of the future? It can't be happening...it can't!

"Angeal...no." Zack muttered, almost a whisper, shaking his head.

"If you don't end me, then the Heartless will comsume this world..." Angeal continued, pausing a moment with a sigh, and continued, "The very beginning of Kingdom Hearts."

"Kingdom...Hearts?" Zack slowly repeated, confused. Though the name of 'Kingdom Hearts' sounded familiar, but he didn't know why, though. First Heartless, then Keyblades, then this 'Reborn' stuff, and now Kingdom Hearts? How was this world the very beginning of Kingdom Hearts? What was it, anyway? But...would Angeal's death really prevent the Heartless from consuming this world?

Instead of answering Zack's question, Angeal added, becoming more and more urgent, "Zack, do you remember what I said? About our enemy being all that creates suffering?"

Remembering what the dream Angeal said before his death, Zack nodded before he protested, "Y-Yeah, but you're not an enemy! You're not one of them!" He needed to do something, anything, to pull his friend out of the darkness and back into the light.

( **~End "With Pride"~** )

"I created my own suffering, and the sufferings all over." Angeal told him with a glare. A tensed few moments of pause followed, until it became clear to him that Zack had no intentions of killing him, out of respect and friendship. Zack didn't to lose him.

But in the end, Angeal knew, there was very little choice. He'd rather have Zack and the worlds live than his own life to continue. With no choice left, he grunted, "If you won't kill me willingly, then I will force you!"

( **~Vector of the Heavens-KH 1.5 HD ReMix~** )

With unusual great speed which was aided by his single white wing, Angeal launched himself foward and began attacking Zack who quickly dodged and rolled out of the way in half-paralyzing shock as the latter cried out the former's name, and before long, Angeal stretches out the Buster Sword and scratches Zack on the left side of his face, the same place and the stance that happened in Zack's nightmare.

As tears began to form in his eyes, and upon the cold blooded realization and now knowing that it was too late to save Angeal, just like in his nightmares, Zack regrettebly drew out his own sword once again, and screamed out in sorrow, "Angeal! What has Genesis done to you!?"

With a yell, Zack forced himself to launge forward and clashed against Angeal's Burster Sword, the very weapon that Angeal had refused to use, and didn't want it to have any wear, tear or rust, but at this point, it seemed that he didn't care about it anymore. All that seemed in Angeal's mind was his own demise, and Zack would be the one to give him his end.

The two clashed and slashed at each other, before their swords met and strained against each other, before separating and Zack slashed against towards Angeal's stomach, but the man barely dodged out of the way as this was a fight to the death, a struggle of Zack's strength and emotions. Zack then blocked Angeal's counter attack but was struggling against it until he had to duck out of the way to avoid having his head separated from his body.

Rolling out of the way, Zack quickly jumped back up and thrusted his sword single handedly at Angeal who cried out in agony before casting a Wind Spell against Zack who struggled against it, but kept his ground until the spell ceased, but it still left him a bit dizzy.

Still, Zack was once again forced to block Angeal's downward thrust with the Buster Sword, though he quickly jumped out of the way when it became too much, not to mention that it would break his own normal-sized sword into pieces no doubt.

Zack then had an idea, which he regretted but knew he had no choice, and then casted his Thunder spell that he discovered that he could use back when he fought against Axel, and sparks of lightning appeared and actually hit Angeal full on, counterpointed when Zack then casted Fire which then caused burns onto his former mentor's body, causing severe burns.

Despite this, Angeal thrusted his sword onto the floor hard, causing a bit of a quake while sending a powerful slice of light towards Zack who was hit and knocked back into the wall, creating an in-wall crater. None the less, Zack rolled painfully out of the way to avoid Angeal's attempt to stab him with the Buster Sword's blade that went through the wall instead. Without much choice, Zack quickly got up and with a frustrated yell he thrusted his sword and slashed at Angeal's back, which caused the older man to cry out in agony before thrusting as he whirled around to slash at Zack who cried out as the blade got to his upper right leg, but not enough to cause a deep wound or slice it off, but it was sitll painful none the less.

It ripped through his pant-leg material as well, and blood began to seep out. Zack knew that he had to use his last potion to heal the wound, and quickly took it while Angeal did the same, though both of them were growing exhausted, but Zack was getting more and more exhausted, both physically and mentally.

Knowing that there was little choice anymore, and that he had to finish this, whether he wanted to or not, Zack shut his eyes tight before he held a tight grip on the hilt of his sword, and then spun around three times, which created a mini tornado which once again freed itself from Zack's sword and caught the stunned Angeal who tried to move but was then caught in the gust of winds that nearly also ripped the second floor apart. But Zack didn't stop there. He then bend on his legs and then launched himself into the air and right into the tornado where he then lets out a sorrowed scream and thrusted his sword right into Angeal's chest, dangerously close to his heart.

Pulling out his sword quickly upon realising what he just did, Zack landed safely on the floor as the tornado ceased, and the deeply wounded Angeal collasped onto the floor with a thud, his own sword still in his hand and lying on his back, the wound his chest bleeding freely. ( **~End Vector of the Heavens~** )

Standing up and putting away his own sword, shaking, sorrowed and feeling so guilty in his life, Zack slowly approached the now dying Angeal who layed there, slowly fading away.

( **~Sorrow/Ventus's Theme-KH:BBS~** )

Zack just stood there, trying so hard not to break down, but it was a losing battle. It was worse when Angeal was smiling sorrowly at him in return, knowing that it was the best thing to do. For the worlds, and for both of them, despite Zack's loss, both in his dreams and in reality.

"Zack..." Angeal said weakly, "You have my thanks. This...is for you." with the last bit of strength that he had left, he held up his sword, towards Zack who collasped onto his knees, and hesitatedly took the hilt of the sword from his mentor, his best friend, as Angeal said for one last time, "Do the right thing...always."

With that, Angeal's grip loosened, his hand fell limp onto the ground, and he closed his eyes and his chest no longer rose or lowered. He was dead. On the verge of crying, Zack then held his now new sword in front of him, in the similiar way Angeal used to as he fought back tears, as Angeal's words to him from eight years ago and from his dreams echoed in his mind as he gazed at his friend's lifeless but smiling face.

" _ **Embrace your dreams. If you want to be a hero you need to have dreams ... and honor.**_ "

What's worse, Genesis was right: Angeal is indeed long gone now, and it was all his fault, his fault that it all happened.

He then felt a hand gently being placed on his right shoulder. When Zack looked up, it was Cloud who had woken up, still bit injured but okay, and the younger man held an expression of compassion and sadness. It was a look that said that he was sorry for Zack's loss, and he meant it.

Near the staircase leading to ground level were Tseng and Reno, the latter also holding an expression of pity and sorrow, since he knew what it was like to lose someone close to you. Even Tseng's expression softened a little in a similiar way.

Still, despite the comfort of the others being there, Zack still could not heal the wounded hole that ripped into his heart.

* * *

Three days later, Zack and the others were healed up and the former was given new SOLDIER 1st Class clothes to replace his battered ones and was offered a job for the ShinRa Company. Zack declined, however, and instead returned to Traverse Town since he needed some more comfort, though he knew that it would take a while to slightly recover from the loss of someone important to him.

He was with Aerith in one of the hotel rooms as Leon, seeing the heartbroken expression on Zack, left him alone with Aerith, knowing that for some reason that she was who Zack needed the most right now. Even Yuffie could see the guilt and sorrowed expression despite being angry at him at first, but when she saw tears and guilt, even the young teenager knew that Zack hadn't meant it. So she just followed Leon wordlessly.

"Hey, Zack. Midgar kind of sounds familiar to me. What do you think?" Aerith spoke, trying to lighten the mood. It didn't help, however, as she saw that Zack sat on the floor, crying. Instead of saying anything else, and sorrowed for him, she walked up behind him, knelt down and comfortly wrapped her arms around him to give him comfort in his time of need.

This feeling of Aerith doing this gave Zack a mental image of his dream-self in the same state, within the Church of Midgar, and the dream version of Aerith doing the exact same thing as the real one was doing right now.

Zack did need it right now, and he was feeling a little better, but that would never change the fact that Angeal was gone.

( **~End Sorrow/Ventus's Theme~** )

* * *

 _A week later..._

After spending a week in Traverse Town to calm down, Zack resumed his journey his answers. This time to find Genesis and make him pay for everything that's happened while trying to figure out the meaning of his continuous constant dreams. Leon did make one point though during his week's stay; revenge won't bring back Angeal. It would just cast his heart into darkness.

Zack took that seriously, but he still vowed to set things right to prevent Genesis from causing more tragic problems to anyone else. He returned to Midgar since he somehow knew that Geneis would be expecting him there. So he would going to stick around in this world until he knew what to do, or maybe eventually venture to other worlds to continue his quest.

He then thought back of his latest dream that even changed him like it changed his dream-self.

* * *

 _Fragment 42: Having combed his hair back to honor Angeal, keeping the Buster Sword on his back, and having the scar that was forever on his face, Zack went outside of the ShinRa building and walked passed the lined up troopers, pausing as he recongised one who blinked behind his helmet. Zack smiled._

 _It was Cloud._

 _"So you want to be in SOLDIER? Hang in there." Zack encouraged with an encouraging smile._

 _After that, he informed the troopers, now having become a leader of this rookies. Zack would do his best to lead this people who had dreams of their own, and he would make sure that their dreams would one day come true, as well as keeping them alive. He owed them that. Informing them of an order to embrace their dreams, and...whatever happens, protect their SOLDIER honor, and that they would be coming back here alive._

* * *

Sighing, and gazing up at the ruins of the original ShinRa building in the ruins of Midgar, Zack, who had done his hair the same way his dreamself did, knew what he had to do now. He wasn't a leader, but he would make sure to do his best to fight against the darkness. He owed all of his friends that-friends in other worlds.

Genesis will pay for this. Zack would not let him have his way any more.

* * *

 **A/N: I cried when I wrote Angeal's death in reality, and Ven's theme suited perfectly for the sorrow/goodbye moment.**

 **See you in the next chapter!**


	12. CHAPTER 11: Hurtful Memories

**Author's note: Sorry that it's late. I was meant to update but I had trouble plotting it and such. But now it's back again, and I intend on finishing it this year. But from this point forward, most of the rest of the dream fragments won't have much dialogue.**

 **Let's continue on and please remember these notes.**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories, thoughts and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I hold no rights to Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy VII, Pokemon or Sailor Moon.**

* * *

CHAPTER 11: Hurtful Memories.

( **~Missing You-KH2~** )

 _Meanwhile, at Disney Castle..._

King Mickey found he couldn't sleep tonight. He wasn't certain why, but something else happened that was causing more sadness somewhere in the worlds. He didn't want to disturb Minnie, so he silently left their bedroom and into the gardens late at night to gaze up at the stars. Gazing at the stars that some where worlds, some where the hearts of so many lives through out the multiverse. Last time he did this was three years ago, on the night when he had the strangest dream that seemed so real. But right now, Mickey felt the sadness from one of the stars and could've sworn that a star blinked out.

Funny enough, the stars of three of the friends he met eight years ago still blinked, but for a long time, while he never met one of the three, there was still no sign of any of them and the other three friends he met, one he travelled with and was close to, they were already gone. Two whom didn't exist yet and may never will, and one...she gave her life to save others.

Eight years...eight years and still Mickey held the twinge of guilt and sadness in his heart, but he had managed to sway away from falling into despair. He still remembered the adventure from when he first met one of them right up to the end of the adventure, the last time he saw any of them.

(Mickey's memories: Moments from Sailor Moon 0-Birth By Sleep)

 _"This is a weird dream!" Jason exclaimed, eyes wide in shock and disbelief._

 _"Gee, I'm really sorry if I scared ya'. I didn't mean to." Mickey apologuised once he realised that he might've frightened the poor kid._

 _"Grovyle!" Jason exclaimed, looking around for any signs of his friend, but his only companion right now was Mickey, "Where's Grovyle?"_

 _"Grovyle?" Mickey asked, puzzled, wondering what the boy was talking about._

 _"Have you seen a green Pokemon?" Jason then quickly asked with hope._

 _While the name Grovyle was vaguely familiar to Mickey, the mouse shook his head apologetically, "Nope, sorry."_

 _Sighing in defeat and realising he was on his own, Jason muttered, "So that means he's somewhere else...and..." he trailed off as his eyes widened in another realization-he was in another world and on top of that..."I'm in the past!" he exclaimed in shock. The Passage of Time took him several years into the past._

 _Hearing this made Mickey awfully confused, and while he was familiar with time-travel, having been through that experience four years ago, he wondered what had caused Jason to travel back in time and into the present._

 _"Just as I feared." Yen Sid said with grave in his tone, "These monsters you have just encountered, they are new, but they intend to do harm-not just to the worlds, but to the Princessess of Heart as well. These creatures feed on negativity. Fledgling emotions that have taken the form of them. The "Unversed" will intend to do you harm. They are connected to the forces of darkness. You must be fully alert." having come up with the name of the monsters._

 _"Unversed?" Mickey repeated with concern of his own._

 _Jason, confused while trying to piece together on what he was hearing, then said, "Lemme get this straight. Are you saying that those things that attacked us feed on negative emotions? Kinda sounds like a world I've heard about in legend that was destroyed because of negativity around thousands of years ago."_

 _"Mickey? What's the hurry?" Jason asked, only to be shushed by Mickey who looks back upstairs, as if making sure no one was listening._

 _Once he was certain that Yen Sid wasn't within earsdrop, Mickey gazed back at Jason and whispered, "I'm going to other worlds and find out where the Unversed are comin' from."_

 _"You are?" Jason whispered back._

 _"Yup. I'm worried about could happen, and I can't just stay here knowing that the worlds need help." Mickey answered and he did look worried. He'd been on so many adventures since five years ago and he wasn't afraid. In fact, as much as he hated to admit it, he still loved adventures to this day._

 _He then added with a smile, "Besides, you're comin' with me, if ya want."_

 _"Huh?" Jason asked, confused._

 _"I wanna help ya find your friend Grovyle." Mickey concluded, holding out his hand for a shake._

 _Realising what this means, and, seeing that this would be his only chance in finding Grovyle, Jason smiled in gratitude and shook hands with Mickey._

 _Nodding at his new friends' names, Ven then commented as he gazed at the Keyblades, "I see you've both got Keyblades."_

 _"Yep. I've been trainin' under the great Yen Sid." Mickey explained, taking a quick gaze at the weapon that's been his companion for the last five years._

 _Jason shrugged in slight embarrassment as he explained while gazing at his own Keyblade, "Yeah, well, I just got mine a little while ago. I had no idea how that even happened." before continuting with a shrug, "See, it's a long story, but I got separated from my best friend, Grovyle."_

 _Mickey then continued to explain, "Master Yen Sid found out the worlds are in trouble, an' I wanted to help Jason find his friend, an' we both sorta took off without tellin' him." rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, while Jason grinned sheepishly._

 _"Well, that makes the three of us." Ven said, not surprised, admitting, "I ran off, too."_

 _"Wise Ansem, it's an honor to meet you." Mickey spoke wisely himself, which he didn't do as much, except to his elders. "My name is Mickey Mouse. I'm King of Disney Town."_

 _Ansem was slightly surprised to hear this, before giving Mickey a welcoming smile, as he replied, "The pleasure is all mine, King Mickey. It's not often I get to meet a fellow King from another Kingdom, and a young one at that. I'd be more than happy to make auidence with you."_

 _"Thank you so much." Serenity told the two young wielders, introducing herself, "I am "Sailor Moon", Sailor Soldier of the light."_

 _"My name is Aqua. I train under Master Eraqus." Aqua introduced herself._

 _Mickey smiled and introduced himself in return, "And I'm Mickey. I used to be Yen Sid's apprentice. I came back to him for some more training."_

 _While Jason was surprised by 'Sailor Moon's' early appearence, he decided to worry about that later and introduced himself to the two women, "Name's Jason. I just recently got my Keyblade, and, it's kinda a long story."_

 _Serenity could see this at least as she told him, "You show such determination for a young man at your age." which made Jason blush. She then turned to Mickey and told him about the little girl who didn't understand what they were talking about, "I believe there's strong light within this young girl. Do you think that's why those monsters attacked her?"_

 _"Yep, I think ya might be absolutely right." Mickey agreed, having also sensed the light from the girl who was behind him and Jason, as he continued, "If ya ask me, she must be somebody pretty extraordinary."_

 _"Are you still worried?" Jason asked, taking notice of Mickey's somewhat saddened look._

 _Mickey sighed, admitting, "When I came back to Yen Sid's tower, and I told him that I was terrified of the thought of the darkness overtaking my heart and that I wanted to try and stop myself from being swallowed up by it, he told me the same thing he told me back a long time ago when I first met him."_

 _Jason gave Mickey comfort which the latter needed the most._

 _Other times was when Mickey and Jason arrived in so many worlds to find Grovyle and arrived in Neverland where they met Sailor Pluto, fighting against the traitorous Chancellor who seeked out Queen Serenity and the Silver Crystal. The two fought him before they were kidnapped by Vanitas and then defeated by Master Xehanort, and when Mickey and Jason both learned that 'Sailor Moon' and Aqua both rescued them and learned about Xehanort's true goal before heading back to the Keyblade Graveyard in an epic battle in which Grovyle and Terra took on Xehanort while the rest of the group met up and fought against Vanitas who took over Ven's body._

 _Despite this, Serenity defeated Vanitas, but at the cost of Ven losing his heart, but Yen Sid assured them that as long as they all believed, Ven's heart would one day return to his body. Mickey had agreed, and had shared a tearful goodbye to his new friends. After they had left, Mickey was declared a Keyblade Master due to the courage of his heart._

(End of memories)

Mickey sighed as he sat on the soft grass. According to both Jason and Grovyle, Temporal Tower would collaspe in 1998. It was two years from now. Two more years and then time would stop. Mickey wished he knew the answer on how to figure this out early, as well as find Aqua who was still missing, find Ven's heart, and...also to find the descendant of Queen Serenity and the Silver Crystal.

But the visions he had the other day...someone's light was starting to shine in a far away universe. ( **~End Missing You~** )

"The Silver Crystal was split into seven pieces, deep within hearts of others." Mickey quoted, repeating on what Master Yen Sid told him just almost a week ago. The king gazed up at the stars again, muttering, "If only I knew where to find them."

Little did he know, that one friend that he hasn't seen in about a year had noticed him and was on a dangerous journey himself.

* * *

Meanwhile, Zack had found himself on the beach of Costa Del Sol in the world of Midgar that he's been at for weeks now ever since the death of Angeal, and was still on edge. The more he had these dreams that seemed so real, the more he's starting to think that Genesis and Yen Sid were right about him. Maybe Zack's dreams really were his lost memories.

But how was that possible, if he lived his whole life in the village in Greece near Thebes? Zack also discovered a little while ago, that Project G was Angeal's mother's expirement. In a recent dream he had, the Dream-Zack had apprehended Hollander in Modeohiem and turned him over to the company. After that, the company put him on standby. That was a while ago now in the dream... Shinra is apparently in disarray right now. The Turks are hanging around him everyday. They say their and Zack's vacations are _"overlapped"_ coicidentally.

Yeah, right... But none of them ever mention Angeal or Genesis. Almost as if they never existed... Is that how little SOLDIER was worth those days? What did Zack have left to fight for? What is SOLDIER honor...?

Zack shook his head. Maybe he was getting himself mixed up with his dreamself or something.

( **~Destiny Islands-KH:BBS~** )

Walking along side the beach that seemed familiar to him, Zack stood to a stop and wiped sweat from his forehead. This would've been a nice day to take a dip, and the ocean was crystal blue and clear and quite beautiful.

"If I had swimming trunks, I'd be hitting the beach." He said to himself.

"Suntan lotion?" A female voice spoke behind him, startling Zack to turn around to see a familiar young woman with blonde hair. He'd seen her before. Two weeks ago, actually. She was one of the Turks, the newer ones, he thought. But today, she was wearing an emerald green sleeveless dress and sandles, which was a good idea on a hot day like today.

"No thanks." Zack shook his head, before muttering, "I've seen you before...you were with Tseng, Reno and Rude, right?"

Elena nodded, introducing herself, "My name is Elena. I'm a recent member of the Turks."

Well that answered his question. Nodding, Zack replied, "I'm Zack. So, um, you're here on vacation?"

"I guess you could say that. What about you?"

The raven-haired man shrugged, gazed out at the ocean again and admitted, "I would be if I brought things to swim in." with a sheepish smile which made Elena giggle. He then couldn't help but blurt out in thought, "You know, Reno and the others seemed to reconigse me when I first met them. I wonder what it is, though."

It was still confusing on how the Turks knew him before he knew them, or something like that. It was as though they weren't confused, but rather surprised and shocked. That only increased Zack's suspicions that Genesis and Yen Sid were right about him, but there was still something missing about all this. He ignored in asking them about the situation before. Maybe he should go and ask them himself. But...deep in his heart, he couldn't find it in him to do so. Not as long as Genesis was still a threat and he had to handle that situation first.

"I don't understand it, myself." Elena muttered in agreement, which caused Zack to look at her, as she admitted with a slight shrug, "Lately for the past few years, we've been finding strange clues related to the past, and then, before you came, the four of us and the President all passed out. I remember...seeing so many flashes of memories...but...I guess I'm scared."

So Elena was confused about this afterall too. Not to mention afraid. Zack couldn't deny that he was freaked out about this himself, as he folded his arms to his chest, saying, "Huh...you're not the only one."

"Huh?"

"I've been having so many dreams about Midgar and myself in it a lot since the beginning of this year. They gotten worse as I go on, trying to find clues." Zack shrugged himself. That, he figured, was Genesis' fault. If only he had the answers about now. ( **~End Destiny Islands~** )

Elena blinked before thinking of something. Something came up a moment later, and then suggested, "Have you ever heard about the Ancients?"

"Huh?" Zack asked, and instantly, a day-dream or something filled up his mind.

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's dreams)

 _Fragment 42: Zack, in swimming trunks, was with Cissnei as the two discussed on the situation which Zack was shocked to discover from Cissnei that Lazard had disappeared since it was said that he actually funded the situation with Hollander's research, using the ShinRa Company's money, and that Aerith is the last descendant of the Ancients, people with magical abilities who could read the Planet before they were attacked by the surprising return of Genesis Copies, the two and Tseng who had arrived just in time to help aid them(though was still in his Turk uniform despite the 90 degree tempreture) fight against the enemies._

 _After the fight, Zack was stunned, as he said, "These guys are still attacking...but..."_

 _"Perhaps Genesis is still alive as well." Tseng theoried._

 _"Huh?"_

 _"When a person dies, their soul is returned to the Lifestream."_

 _"Yeah, I know that. So..."_

 _"The river of souls that circles our planet. Perhaps Genesis's soul is..."_

 _"Controlling copies from the Lifestream?" Zack finished for Tseng, in confusion, but at the same time, it sort of made sense. "So you're saying that he can actually do that even though he's supposed to be dead?"_

 _"It was merely a supposition." Tseng replied, gazing firmly at Zack and Cissnei, declaring, "Either way, your vacation is cut short. Junon is under attack by an unknown force. You're going there with me to investigate."_

 _"Got it." Zack nodded without hesitation, quickly moving to follow the two Turks._

 _However, during their walk back to the hotel, Zack couldn't help but comment to Cissnei as the two walked and out of earshot from Tseng, "Um, Cissnei. Does Tseng wear that suit everywhere he goes?"_

 _"Were you hoping he'd be in swimming trunks?" Cissnei asked, almost teasingly._

 _Feeling awkward, Zack shrugged, "No. But, wearing a black suit in a place like this would make you sick, wouldn't it? I mean, surely it's pretty hot."_

 _The two must've stopped walking, because Tseng noticed the two chatting, and then turned to approach them, questioning, "What's wrong?"_

 _Zack felt awkward, before asking, "Aren't you feeling hot or something?"_

 _Getting the picture, Tseng replied, "I can tolorate the heat more than the cold, I admit."_

 _'_ Well that explains everything. _' Zack thought to himself, remembering how Tseng and the other trooper had struggled against the cold in the mountains._

* * *

Returning to reality without having passed out, Zack now did now about the Ancients, even if just a little. So he told Elena, "Um...a little bit. They were people with magic that was connected to the Lifestream or something, right?"

"Yes, but they all went extinct years ago. They don't exist anymore." Elena replied.

That explained something, but then another thought occured to him. Aerith was still alive and she was back in Traverse Town. Did that mean...?

" _Zack..._ "

Zack blinked, hearing a strangely familiar voice speak his name in his mind. Felt like...a friend was calling, but who could it be? Why was it familiar? It sounded quite urgen and Zack suddenly felt that he couldn't ignore it.

Shaking his head and noticing Elena's sudden concerned look, Zack rubbed the back of his head, saying apologetically, "Um, listen. I better go. See ya later, Elena." he waved before taking off towards town, much to Elena's confusion.

What was the hurry? Before the rookie Turk could ponder this further, her PHS rang from her skirt pockets, so the young woman quickly took it out and flipped it open, answering, "This is Elena."

The young woman listened to the caller which Tseng who said from the speaker, " _Elena, new orders. Meet Reno at the docks. Militas Ultra as been sighted._ "

"Yes, sir." Elena answered before hanging up and made her way to where she came to meet with her co-worker and superior. It seemed that the Turks' own mission to find clues of their own was still to be discovered and solved of their own.

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's dreams)

( **~The Worlds-KH:BBS~** )

 _Fragment 43: When Zack and the Turks arrived in Junon, it was a complete mess as Genesis copies attacked and caused chaos. When the SOLDIER 1st was sent to defend Hollander, he met up with Cloud who had been a little motion sick so Zack promised to treat him for dinner before taking off to stop the mad scientest who unfortunately managed to escape. He met up with Sephiroth who informed him that he had been on his way to Modeoheim, but changed course when he heard that Zack was here._

 _Zack also learned from the Silver Haired General that the Genesis Copies had spread through out the entire Planet, including Midgar and that Genesis is very much alive, since he stole Hollander's device._

* * *

When will Zack learn not to black out in certain times? No sooner had he used the StarShard to follow the caller of the voice and having left Midgar without anyone else noticing that he once again passed out and yet had another one of those dreams. So Genesis survived that fall after all? That explained why he was still attack now.

Suddenly feeling like he stepped into another universe, Zack noticed a bright light ahead of him that was approaching. That light...it's very warm.

( **~End The Worlds~** )

* * *

When he had landed, Zack found himself what appeared to be a forest that seemed peaceful. But as he took a stroll and found the exit, he found that the woods were actually part of a rather fasinating and beautiful park with gorgeus flowers, with a beautiful like, which could also see a city. Little did Zack know, he was now in Neo Tokyo on Earth in the Solar Universe, but at the moment, he didn't pay attention to that.

The young swordsman pauses near the lake at the viewing point, as the sun sets, making it a breath-taking sight. Everything seems so...peaceful here. No sign of any Heartless, or Genesis at all.

( **~Usagi/Serena's Theme-Sailor Moon S Movie~** )

"Agh, I can't believe that the tests are next week! Molly, I wish things were easy with Ice Cream." A girl's voice whined behind him. When Zack turned around out of curiousity, he noticed two teenaged girls wearing junior High-School Uniforms. One of them had short brown hair with a green ribbon behind her head, and another had long blonde hair with buns on top and streamed down like a double ponytail and it appeared that the blonde haired girl was the one complaining. These two were no older than fourteen years old.

"Yeah, spelling and maths tests are the worst, huh?" The brown-haired girl, apparently Molly, said in agreement to her friend.

Her friend sighed, before saying, with admiration, "I bet the cool super hero like Sailor V doesn't have to go through what we have to."

Molly shook her head, before suggesting, with slight regret in her voice, "I hate to say this and I think it's the biggest mistake I'm making, but maybe you should study with Melvin to help with your studies?"

The other teenaged girl stopped short, and gazed at her friend with a horrified look on her face, "Melvin!? Are you crazy, Molly? If I end up hanging out with him alone during studying, he'll think we're on a date! Ugh!" she shuddered at the very thought. It was already bad enough for her to study, but to study with a dweeb like Melvin? She didn't even want to think about it.

From his spot, Zack couldn't help but chuckle at the two obviously beatiful teenage girls talking, before deciding to head off. But then a thought hit him lik a ton of bricks as Zack turned to gaze at the blonde-haired girl again. That hair style, those blue eyes, the gentleness, and her voice...it matched to the one he heard back at Costa Del Sol...he'd seen her before, but where? "That girl...she seems very familiar...and...why does she completely resemble to...Serenity?" Zack asked himself.

Was it a coincidence, or do Serenity and that girl have some sort of a connection?

"It's getting late. If I end up late for dinner, my Mom's gonna blow up and ground me." The Serenity look-alike sighed, noticing the sun was nearly gone and that if she didn't get home soon, she'll be in big trouble. Not easy in being a junior high-school student.

"I thought your parents were coming home late tonight and Sammy's on a field trip until tomorrow." Molly pointed out.

' _Oh yeah, I forgot._ ' The blond-haired girl thought, then thought and then said, "Hmm, maybe I'll stick around here for a little bit, since the Park is one of my favorite places." gazing at the sunset again.

"Okay. See you tomorrow, Serena." Molly said, waving her friend goodbye before heading back home, leaving her friend, named Serena, on her own. ( **~End Usagi/Serena's Theme~** )

Serena watched her friend go, before deciding to take a seat at a bench to daydream about either meeting the famous and mysterious Sailor V or having a handsome boyfriend. But she mistook a step and with an alarmed cry, due to her clumsiness, she tripped and fell to the ground while dropping her school bag-case. Sitting up, Serena ended up crying her eyes out like a three year old, since she was also a crybaby as well.

Zack, noticing what just happened, immediately rushed over to help the teenaged girl, kneeling down to her as he asked with concern, "Hey, you okay?"

( **~Usagi/Serena's and Kairi's Theme*Kairi-KH:BBS*~** )

Hearing his voice caused Serena to stop crying, and when she looked up, instantly she felt butterflies in her stomach, her heart fluttering and her face felt warm as well. The guy who extended his hand to help her up which she shyly accepted and helped her stand up, while then picking up her bag and kindly giving it back to her, immediately Serena knew that this guy, despite being at least in his early twenties, was kind and very handsome. Strangely he reminded her of someone she once knew and strangely had fallen in love with, but couldn't figure out how or why.

Deciding to worry about that later, she replied to Zack, "Y-yes, I am now. Thank you."

"Glad I could help." Zack smiled in relief, "I'm Zack, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you, Zack. M-my name's Serena." Serena replied in return.

"That's a beautiful name." Zack thought.

Serena blinked, which made her blush even more. "You think so?" before realising that he was wearing some sort of uniform she hasn't seen before, and couldn't help but ask, "Are you new around here?"

Quickly uncertain but deciding not to reveal where he actually came from or show it, Zack answered, "Uh, yeah. Actually, I came here for a visit, to clear my head." that, and he was still upset at the loss of Angeal. This was something Zack knew that he would never fully recover from.

Mentally shaking it off, Zack then asked gently, "Say, Serena. Do you like the other girl you hanged out with?" deciding that, in case something happened, he had to make sure that no one else had to go through or suffer the same or similiar situations as he'd been through for the last weeks.

"Of course I like her. She's my best friend." Serena answered, a little confused by this.

"Great. So then, if anything very unusual happens, and your friends are in trouble-or say, trouble tries to get to them, you and friends try to ignore them, and pretend that everything's alright." Zack told her wisely, "That'll at least keep both of you safe. That's your job, Serena. Okay?"

The young woman didn't know what Zack was talking about, but it somehow sensed that he went through something that brought him and a friend of his into trouble. She didn't know why, but somehow, she sensed the sadness from his heart. So, she replied with a slightly awkward smile, "Um, sounds pretty weird, but I'll try to give it a try."

Seeing how it was not almost twilight, Serena then apologetically said, "I better get home. It's nice to meet you, Zack." giving him a slight cursty.

"Yeah. You too." Zack replied as a farewell, giving her a slight bow like a gentlemen.

Serena smiled, before waving him a goodbye and turned to head back home. As she headed home, she was still blushing as she thought to herself about the handsome young man that was Zack, ' _A weird kind of guy, but I gotta admit, Zack is so sweet and such a major hunk!_ '

Little did Serena know, this meeting was the first to reflect of her greatest destiny that is yet to arrive that would change her life forever and teach her something of a past she never would've guessed she would even think of, or even remember. ( **~End Usagi/Serena's and Kairi's Theme*Kairi's Theme*~** )

* * *

As Zack watched Serena go, he sighed while feeling slightly guilty, at first unaware that a black beautiful cat with orange-red eyes and strangely a Cresent Moon mark on it's forehead approach and stood onto the leaning part of the bench, while Zack placed his hands on his hips as he said to himself, "Maybe I shouldn't have said that to her. She's way too innocent to get caught in dangerous situations."

"Which there's going to be one pretty soon." The cat spoke in a female voice, already deciding to reveal part of herself.

"Probably a man-power shortage-huh!?" Zack replied before realising who he was talking to and turned to the cat, eyes wide in disbelief. This world had talking cats? Wanting to make sure that he heard right, he asked, a little reluctantedly, "You uh...can talk?"

Instead of answering Zack's question, the cat, as though sensing something unusual about him, said in return, "You're not from this world, are you?"

"Excuse me?" Zack asked, caught off-guard.

( **~Aqua's Theme-KH:BBS~** )

"Your weapon and uniform say it all. Although I can sense that you're human, you're from another world." The cat said, pointing out the obvious of Zack's uniform and the unusually large sword that belonged to the late Angeal.

Realising that the cat was right, Zack sheepishly admitted, "Uh, yeah. How'd you know about that?"

The cat cleared her throat, before introducing herself, "My name is Luna. I am on a quest to find the Sailor Scout of the Moon."

"Sailor Scout...of the Moon?" Zack repeated. Did Luna mean 'Sailor Moon'? Did she know about Queen Serenity? That means something is about to happen in this world.

"I know you have nothing to do with it, but powerful forces are getting closer to Earth." Luna said, before saying firmly to Zack, "Young man, you have to promise not to tell anyone about what I am about to tell you."

"Um, sure." Zack agreed, "I have a lot of secrets I can't tell too." which was the truth. He promised to not reveal about other worlds or on what was really going on in the other worlds with Genesis.

"A long time ago, the darkness of evil attacked the Universe, and proceeded in destroying the Kingdom of the Moon." Luna explained, deciding that she can trust this young man since his heart was full of light, "The Silver Crystal, our universe's only light, must be found, never touched in the wrong hands, or everything will be lost. I must find our Princess and the Crsytal so both will be safe."

Zack's heart sank at this news. Darkness attacked the Kingdom where Serenity came from, meaning that she was most likely killed, but then it suddenly occured to him that he was in the very universe where the Queen from 1,000 years ago had come from. But then...what was the Silver Crystal? Was it similiar to the Kingdom Hearts Angeal told him about? If so, then Serenity wasn't actually a real 'Sailor Moon'.

Deciding to keep this knowlage a secret, he instead asked, "What about the Sailor Scout?"

"Her name is Sailor Moon, and I have to find her, as she is one of the Princess's guardiens. Although...I haven't found anything yet...except you." Luna admitted.

' _Sailor Moon? Why does that name sound familiar?_ ' Zack thought, even though he knew why, but there was something else about the name that was triggering another memory. So then he explained about his own quest, "I'm searching too. For a man who has been causing problems, getting myself and my lost friend involved. If I don't find him, then no one is safe. And these dreams I've been having lately aren't much help either. But I know that I can't give up."

"Then you shouldn't. You should keep going, and someday you'll find your answers. I know that I must keep searching for Sailor Moon and the Princess." Luna told him, before saying for the last time, "I'd best be on my way." ( **~End Aqua's Theme~** )

"Me too." Zack said in return, "You be careful, Luna."

The cat nodded, before leaping off the bench and walked off, leaving Zack on his own once more. Sighing, he took a seat at the bench while unsheathing his sword, having it leaning in front of him as he held onto it's hilt. "Sailor Moon and the Moon Princess...I can't help but feel that Serena is part of both of them." Zack thought to himself gravely.

He then thought about another memory from eight years ago, one that brought him back home to when he first arrived in Thebes, and thought about the last time he, Herc' and Phil saw Ven. It instantly caused Zack to realise that maybe Ven's quest was to find Terra and Aqua.

* * *

(Flash-Back: During the events of Sailor Moon 0: Birth By Sleep)

( **~Ven's Theme/Sadness-KH:BBS~** )

Ven nodded to himself about his thoughts on Terra and Aqua, before turning to leave, but stopped when Herc' ran up to him, asking in slight disappointment, "You're leaving?"

The fifteen year old turned to face his new friend, answering with an apologetic smile, "Yeah. My journey's not over yet." knowing that he would have leave at least, but was glad to have met new friends who made him smile.

"But you'll visit, right?"

"I'll stop by once you're a true hero." Ven promised.

Zack couldn't help but comment as stood by Herc's side, "Stop by once me and him are both heroes!"

"Oh, so you mean never come back?" Ven placed his hands on his hips, teasingly.

"Hey, watch it!" Zack teasingly pouted as he pulled Zack into a playful choke before they, Hercules and Phil all laughed at the playful jokes. Surely enough, all four of them had quickly become such good friends, one that they believed that it would last on for many years to come.

(End of Flash-Back)

* * *

Except that Ven had suffered a horrible fate, as did Terra, Aqua, and now even Serenity in her Kingdom 1,000 years ago, and who knows what was going on with Jason and Grovyle in the future. Zack sighed in saddnes, before gazing at the sword helplessly, asking his deceased friend despite knowing that he wouldn't get an answer, "Angeal...what should I do?" ( **~End Ven's Theme/Sadness~** )

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's dreams)

( **~Drops of Poison-KH:BBS~** )

 _Fragment 44: Zack had just protected Aerith from a machine that seemed out of control before it was destroyed by strangely a deeply wounded Angeal copy that somehow, much to Zack's surprise and Aerith's sympathy, protected them as though it was doing the right thing as Angeal's atonement. The two then went off to the park in Sector 6 to help Aerith sell some of her flowers before Zack was called into meeting with Sephiroth._

 _Fragment 45: Zack apologised to Aerith since he's leaving on a mission for a while with Sephiroth, and despite the slight suspicion from Tseng who had been watching them before Zack spotted him, the Turk promised to protect Aerith while he's away, before meeting up with Cloud at the SOLDIER floor and the two happily greeted. When meeting up with Sephiroth again who was the current leader of SOLDIER until they found on replacement, he declared they were heading to Nibelhiem, much to Cloud's shock._

 _Fragment 46: The group headed to Nibelhiem, as Cloud had placed his helmet back on for some reason, especially when a fifteen year old girl with black hair and wearing a cow-girl uniform greeted them, before they rested in a hotel for the night. Sephiroth admitted that his mother, apparently named Jenova, passed away immediately after he was born, but made no comment on his father, saying that it didn't matter. In the hotel later, he admitted that the village strangely felt familiar to him._

 _Zack later spotted Cloud near the well, as the younger man was gazing up at the night sky. "Can't sleep?" Zack asked._

 _"Yeah, I was just thinking about the past." Cloud replied._

 _Fragment 47: With the black haired girl, named Tifa as their guide, the group ventured up to the Mako Reactor in the mountains, though tragically they lost a trooper who fell into the cavern below due to the bridge breaking, which brought not only somewhat uncomfortable memories to Tifa, but to the helmeted Cloud._

 _"I want to go inside and look, too!" Tifa protested._

 _"This is a top-secret facility. Non-Shinra personnel are not permitted inside." Sephiroth told the girl firmly. Knowing that not only the young woman would be in the way, but he was also somewhat concerned for her safety, he turned to Cloud and ordered him, "Keep the young lady safe."_

 _Without saying a word, Cloud nodded and held out a hand to prevent the teenaged young woman from entering while both Sephiroth and Zack entered, much to Tifa's annoyance as she pouted while looking away, placing her hands on her hips._

 _Fragment 48: When the two SOLDIERS entered the room full of pods filled with experimental monsters, much to their disgust, to their surprise and shock, the name JENOVA was written in metal above the door on top of a staircase, and that Sephiroth was starting to feel horrified for the first time in his life. Genesis then arrived and revealed part of the truth even to Sephiroth's past after knocking Zack down, revealing that, much to both of their shocks, Sephiroth was also experimented on; a monster, just like Genesis himself and Angeal, but unlike the latter two, Sephiroth is perfect and thus, he cannot degrade and needs his cells as a cure._

 _Despite this, Sephiroth refused and left without a word, causing Zack to quickly follow him, only to lost track and instead fight off against monsters that appeared in which Cloud ended up injured while trying to protect Tifa who felt a bit guilty for this. Zack led the two back into town and took Cloud into the hotel to rest while Tifa went to ask around about the whereabouts of Sephiroth._

 _Fragment 49: When Cloud admitted that he and Tifa were somewhat childhood friends and his reason on wanting to join SOLDIER so that he could get stronger to protect her, Zack grimly told him not to join, not understanding SOLDIER anymore, but then remembered to stay calm and Angeal's words, especially when Cloud commented about the sword._

 _Fragment 50: Zack discovered from Tifa that Sephiroth was in the ShinRa Manor, so he went to investigate, only to be told to leave by Sephiroth who went through the books to research more about his past and about his mother, muttering something about Proffessor Gast who apparently never told him anything and had recently passed away. It seemed that Gast was the only scientest Sephiroth had respected._

 _Why? Zack didn't know. This was only the trigger of the worst yet to come..._ ( **~End Drops of Poison~** )

* * *

Blinking, Zack once again woke up in the middle of the Lanes Between since he left Earth and the Solar Universe to head back to his Universe to continue his search for Genesis. The dream he just had revealed more shocking truths.

Jenova Project...Sephiroth's involved too? Zack gasped in horror, realising that he had to find Sephiroth and warn him about Genesis before this history would repeat itself. Recalling in meeting him back at the Stadium, Zack realised where his next destination had to be.

Gripping the Starshard hard, he muttered with a plead, "Take me home."

As though hearing his desire from his heart, the item did so and zipped him faster than usual.

* * *

Nearly crash landing in the empty alley but this time managed to land without hurting himself, Zack sighed before putting away the item into his pockets. The sight in front of him was warmly familiar. So, as he walked out, he sighed in relief as he recongised the greek writing, signs, statues, buildings and even the stairs leading up to the very Coliseum he left weeks ago since his adventure began.

"Haven't been home in ages." He thought to himself, relieved to be back, but then realised that, in his current situation in his body now, he couldn't show himself to Hercules, Meg, Pegasus and Phil. What would they think if they saw him like this now?

"Well, if it isn't the mosquito? I gotta say, something sure happened to you, kid." An annoying familiar voice spoke next to him as when Zack turned to it, out of a dark dust of cloud, a familiar tall figure with blue fire on top of his head as hair appeared.

( **~Villians of Sort-KH2~** )

"Hades!" Zack grunted. He was seriously not in the mood to handle with the Lord of the Dead.

"You know, I've been looking all over the UnderWorld for you, and I couldn't find your slimy soul anywhere, which told me that you were alive and off somewhere else." Hades grumbled and shuddered, ignoring Zack's grunt.

The young man glared at him, demanding in anger, "Slimy soul!? Why you-!"

The lord grinned, saying while waving his hands mockingly, "Whoa, easy there, Mosquito-boy. So, where have you been all this time and why not go and see your friend Wonder-boy?"

"None of your business." Zack snapped, turning to leave, "I'm not dealing with you today." walking off.

"Well, I'm just starting to deal with you." Hades told him, not willing to let this go easily, especially since he had a few tricks up his sleeve to potentially finish off the friend of Hercules once and for all, "You remember that YOU were under my command, only to be saved by Chicken-heart...uh, what's his name? Terra, was it?" he pretended to think as he brought up memories from eight years ago.

This caused Zack to stop as he tried to keep his anger under control, turning to face Hades, yelling at him with warning in his tone, "Leave Terra out of this!"

"You haven't seen the guy in eight years, or lizard-boy, or silverbird or even your little bluebird girlfriend." Hades continued, before mockingly offered with an evil grin, "Hey, maybe I can help you, only if you accept the power you need."

"Not interested. Nobody's like you, Lowlife." Zack told him with finality, before running off to find Sephiroth quickly and hoped that Hades wouldn't cause any more problems since Genesis was enough problems as it was, including the Heartless.

As he watched Zack leave, Hades turned red in anger as he felt himself boil, grunting angrily at himself, "That little-Who does he think he is!? He's ten times worse than Wonder-Breath!" and the fact that Zack had actually survived the Octopus attack, not to mention that the kid's body somehow changed didn't help matters either.

"Don't worry. His heart his leading him straight to his own doom." An unrecongizable female voice spoke somewhat evily behind him.

Cooling down, Hades turned to see an unfamiliar woman with green skin, a black and purple ragged robe, horned had, and holding a staff in her jeweled hand stand there. She seemed to be a witch, and was named Maleficent.

"Hey, who let you butt in, sister?" Hades asked, pouting slightly in annoyance.

Maleficent ignored this question, and instead offered, "I can help you achieve your goal, if you agree to help me."

"And what would that be?"

"The same goal you desire. It may take a couple of years, but soon, all the worlds shall belong to us! Us and others who also agree." Maleficent answered with an evil smile that widened.

Hades seemed to consider it. He has heard of other worlds before, being a god and the lord of the dead. He had planned to take over Olympus dozens of times, but to even take over other worlds as well? Now that was some gold plot, and then shrugged, saying, "Domination, huh? Alrightly, then. It's settled, but first, I need to handle that annoying insect." ( **~End Villians of Sort~** )

* * *

Zack had searched all over Thebes until finally he found the man he was looking for at the most unlikely place were his entire journey first began; the docks where he last saw his friends. Sephiroth was gazing at the ocean, seemingly either waiting for a ship or just gazing at the scenary in thought. To Zack's surprise, like himself, Sephiroth's appearence changed since they last met...now he resembled to the Sephiroth in Zack's dreams.

Suddenly sensing movement, Sephiroth turned to see Zack, seemingly not surprised at all, especially when he greeted, "It's been a while, Zack."

"Sephiroth...um..." Zack began awkwardly, but found himself trailing off, unable to voice his thoughts this time.

"You're wondering why I look different." Sephiroth said, having sensed the unspoken comment, before muttering, "I could ask the same thing about you."

So Sephiroth was seemingly aware on what was actually happening. That's troubling already and Zack knew he had to tell him now before Sephiroth ends up being driven crazy by Genesis, so he began, "Um, that's the thing. Listen, Sephiroth, I need to ask you not to tell anyone else about what I'm gonna tell you." before proceeding to tell him what happened to him.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the lack of action in this chapter, but I will continue this story, so look out for the next chapter, fellow readers. We're getting very close to the ending of this story now, actually. Okay, not that close, but the ending is approaching. This is also the starting point of the first episode of the original anime of "Sailor Moon" of the Dic English Dub.**

 **Look out for the next chapter!**


	13. CHAPTER 12: Shocking Truth

**Author's note: I'll do my best for more action in this chapter, since sadly I still have problems with it, but I try. Oh, and I forgot to mention that the 31st of January was the 20th Anniversary of FFVII and a new KH3 pic was shown of Sora using Cloud's pose from the original FFVII game's cover as well.**

 **Let's continue on and please remember these notes.**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories, thoughts and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I hold no rights to Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy VII, Pokemon or Sailor Moon.**

* * *

CHAPTER 12: Shocking Truth.

"...On top of that, I don't think Jenova even is a mother at all." Zack concluded after he explained what has happened since his departure, before adding, "To either you or the other Sephiroth. You both were probably been told lies for a long time." and he mentally hoped that this was enough to prevent the Sephiroth in front of him from doing anything foolish.

There was a somewhat tensed moment of pause, until Sephiroth, thinking through and absorbing on what he had heard from the younger man for the past half an hour, only stated, "I knew it."

"Huh?" Zack asked, confused, though he had a bad feeling about this and felt that he didn't want to know, but knew that he really should know anyway.

"That explains why I was able to recongise you, from the day we first met." Sephiroth continued, gazing firmly at Zack, explaining, "For eight years, I could never understand it clearly. Like you Zack, I too have been having these dreams."

Zack's eyes widened in utter shock and disbelief, "What!?"

"It all began, when I met a man..." Sephiroth began, as was having a flash-back of his own at the same time.

* * *

(Sephiroth's Flash-Back: During the events of Sailor Moon 0: Birth By Sleep)

( **~Xehanort's Theme-KH:BBS~** )

Sephiroth was gazing at the sky late in the afternoon when an unfamiliar elder man with no hair, unusual golden eyes, gray goatee, a black coat with white and black clothes underneath, and white gloves with black boots approached him, his hands behind his back. When the younger man noticed the arrival, immediately the appearence of the elder made him suspicious. The old man reminded him of someone he once knew, but couldn't understand why, and at the moment, immediately decided not to worry about the strange deja vu, as people would say.

"I thought I'd find you here." The older man said in a gruff voice.

"Who are you?" Sephiroth questioned, eyes narrowing.

"Someone who can give you a better purpose in life." The elder man said, while ignoring the question, as he continued, "Deep down, there is a purpose so many times was thrawd by meddling people who wish nothing more than things to remain the same. Wishing for the darkness to end." as he secretly grinned, using what he was saying to his advantage while secretly plotting a more sinister goal.

The silver-haired man felt even more distrust in the man in front of him, not quite certain what the latter was talking about in a way of darkness, before questioning, "What is it do you want of me?"

The elder man shook his head while walking past Sephiroth as he answered, "Darkness is nothing to fear. It will only make you stronger. And you, Sephiroth, are connected with it more than anyone in all of Space and Time!" while he stopped at the fork in the road and spread his hands out to the sky as though he was saying something grand to an audience.

"Your power is still sleeping in you, and someday when you are truly ready, let it awaken and you should embrace it." He continued as he faced Sephiroth once more. To his mental disappointment, however, Sephiroth's expression didn't change, nor did the latter look even interested in his words.

"Whether your words are lies created to deceive me... or the truth, that I have sought all my life... it makes no difference." Sephiroth spoke, after some deep thoughts as he considered the words, before walking off, saying for the final time to the stranger, "I am not interested in your so called _"power"_."

( **~End Xehanort's Theme~** )

* * *

(End of Flash-Back)

Now that Sephiroth remembered that meeting all those years ago as he told Zack about that meeting, something seemed quite...shocking and overwhelming now about this, combined with what the younger man in front of him just told him, before answering the unasked question, "He didn't say who he was, but..."

He turned away, slowly becoming troubled. What could this mean? He ignored Zack speaking his name, while muttering to himself, as though he wanted to know the answers that he knew weren't going to come to him immediately, but at the same time, it was starting to leave him on edge. "Could this mean...these dreams are not dreams at all? I knew, ever since I was a child... I was not like the others. I knew that I was a special existance. But this...This was not what I meant. Am I...connected to this other Sephiroth?"

( **~Shaded Truths-KH:BBS~** )

"That Sephiroth is you." A familiar voice spoke, which alerted both Sephiroth and Zack, and as the two turned towards the sea, a firaga spell was flown straight towards them. Sephiroth side-stepped with ease, but Zack wasn't so lucky as he ended up being hit in the stomach and thrown backwards onto the hard ground. The owner of the fire spell was none other than Genesis who hovered onto the wooden platform, dismissing his black single wing, and didn't look even sorry at the moment.

"Sephiroth. You are the great Sephiroth reborn." Genesis continued at the silver-haired man who, long, long ago, was once his friend.

Zack shut his eyes as he hissed at the burns he rechieved from his arch enemy, grunting, "You-You knew about this!"

"I suppose you could say that." Genesis replied to Zack, not taking his eyes off Sephiroth who narrowed his own at the red-haired man in the crimson coat.

Still...as much as he hated to admit it, Sephiroth felt that it was making some sort of sense, before questioning at the man who felt strongly familiar to him, and not in the most pleasent way, "What do you mean, I am reborn?"

"There are no two people with the same looks, same feelings, same names, same memories, but with new ones with a new life." Genesis explained, as though he was some sort of theatre tradegy show or something, "Rebirth is part of nature, though it is very rare. Your dreams are not dreams, but rather, powerful links to the long forgotten past. The past that belongs to both you and Zack, Sephiroth, and those who are reborn as well, those you saw in your dreams."

Genesis ignored Zack's cry to stop and continued, "And those who were reborn, invision the past differently, the sense of _"Deja vu"_ if you like."

"Invision?" Zack asked, also feeling that it was starting to make sense, but he didn't want to believe that monster of a man who was the one responsible for the death of Angeal and the invasions of the Heartless in the other worlds he visited during his journey, though the Heartless were surprisingly absent in Midgar.

"Or else, history is about to be repeated in a different way." Genesis continued.

Like with the man he met years ago, Sephiroth questioned, "What do you want of me?" and Zack couldn't help but realise that this was almost exactly the same as what he saw in his recent dreams before coming back here to Olympus Coliseum. Though this time, it was a little different.

"Nothing much, except for you to understand the truth." Genesis answered, walking past the silver-haired man before stopping to stand behind him, continuing, "You can no longer just look straight into the future, Sephiroth." before once again quoting, " _My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess_."

"LOVELESS...Humph." Sephiroth automactially said, before stating, "If I am truly the other Sephiroth, then I am no longer interested in what I sought out before." though something deep within his heart was saying something different.

Genesis noticed the slight change, commenting, "No longer the monster...but, some things never change." before opening up a corridor of darkness and stepped through to leave for now as the door to darkness closed behind him, leaving both Sephiroth and Zack on their own once more. ( **~End Shaded Truths~** )

Panting while getting a hold of himself, Zack finally pushed himself back up after a bit of struggle and immediately told Sephiroth, still slightly in pain, "Sephiroth...don't...don't listen to him." getting the older man's attention once more.

"So you're simply suggesting I should ignore him?" Sephiroth questioned, a little harshly.

Zack was taken back of at the harsh tone, but hoped that it was just annoyance than the first step of falling into darkness, and replied, "Whatever your thinking isn't gonna help. It'll only make things worse." and he knew it would only make things worse.

"Hmph." Sephiroth muttered, before saying, "I will think about that." and with a short farewell, he walked off to his own thoughts, possibly to find his own answers one way or another. He knew that he had to find it sooner or later, whether Genesis' words were true or not.

As the raven-haired swordsman watched Sephiroth leave, he only hoped that it wasn't too late and that the silver-haired man wasn't going to fall into the same mad path that Angeal was led by Genesis. But then, Zack couldn't help but wonder if Genesis's words were true. He wished he knew the answers. If only he had the right answers when he had just arrived at his original destination-

This thought immediately brought Zack to another memory, a more recent one, the advice Hercules gave him the day before he left on his journey that practically changed everything in his life.

" _I have idea, Zack. Why don't you go and visit the Temple of Zeus and get information there. I'm sure you'll get answers there._ "

That's it!

"Yeah. It's about time I'd do that." Zack nodded to himself, with determination. This time he was going to the Temple of Zeus to seek some sort of information there once and for all. He delayed his appointment long enough and now was the time to get to it.

However, he also realised that he couldn't catch a boat there, and he didn't want to confront his friends about the situation, let alone see him the way he is now. But then another thought occurred to him.

The Starshard. It'll get him to the Temple...at least that's what Zack hoped.

* * *

Thankfully, it didn't take him off to another world and instead did as he requested deep from his heart. So now Zack found himself in the mainly deserted but grassy hill, and on the very top of the hill was the temple he was looking for. The front had no door, but Zack wasn't fazed by this. He knew that Herc' had visited this place more often to visit to statue of his father Zeus. Zack had once tempted to visit this place himself but never really had the right time to do so, until now.

At the far end of the temple was the massive statue that was exactly like the King of the Gods he met about a year ago when he and Mickey helped Herc to rescue him and the other Gods from both Hades and the stupid Titans whose brains were the size of a walnut. Zack still remembered how Zeus used his lightning bolts to smash the Rock Titan's heads off after Herc' freed him. Time sure flew.

Sighing and while knowing that speaking directly to Zeus was slim, Zack still hoped that it would at least help him a little bit. As he stood to a stop right in front of the towering statue, he took a deep breath before speaking as wisely as he could, "Great God, Zeus. Please, I need your help."

Just then, just about 2 seconds after he said those words, the winds picked up, blowing quite strangely. From the ceiling window or whatever you call it, a lightning bolt shot out from the sky and engulfed the Zeus statue. Zack had to shield his eyes with his arms as the flaming torches suddenly lit up to life. When Zack unshielded himself, he did a double-take as the Zeus statue actually moved, revealing his eyes.

Gazing his sight at the dumbfounded young man, and taking notice the slight different appearnce, Zeus, in his statue form after hearing his son's friend's request for help, commented, "Zack...You've changed."

Zack was speechless, awestruck and, well, confused. Hercules never told him about this before. "Uh...Zeus? I didn't know you could...well, you know." The raven-haired man shrugged a little sheepishly, unable to come up with a good word with how Zeus managed to do this.

Realising that this was why Zack was puzzled, Zeus shrugged sheepishly himself, "Even gods forget a few details."

( **~Cosmos's Theme*Keeping the Peace-Dissidia Final Fantasy*~** )

Sighing at what the god told him, Zack couldn't help but mutter in sadness, "Not as bad as people." before explaining, "Anyway, I've been having a lot of trouble lately."

He then explained to Zeus on his situation, including his dreams of his otherself, believing that it may be one of the reasons why Zack's appearence changed, how meeting those who were in his dreams in reality made things worse, finally concluding in referring to Genesis, "And only...this other guy who is the cause of the whole situation really knows what's going on, but I don't understand the half of it."

"They're not dreams, Zack." Zeus said immediately after Zack told him what was going on, and deep down, knew that the day to reveal the young man's past had finally come.

"Huh?" Zack asked, puzzled. Did this mean...even Zeus really knew the whole truth?

Sensing the slight confusion, the King of the Gods explained to him wisely, "Long ago, even in the ancient times, before what happened 8,000 years ago, rebirth was a new thing to gods. Only certain people who have proven themselves very worthy to see the future world thousands of years ahead of them or have died in an unclean death are allowed to be reborn into the new world, reborn as infants to grow up again. But, the cost is, their memories of their previous life are lost."

"Previous life?" Zack blinked, suddenly feeling that what Genesis had told him lately and had told him and Sephiroth earlier was suddenly making sense, but still didn't understand why, though. So he allowed Zeus to continue.

"In their place, the memories of their new lives will be there, and will always be, even when the old memories start to return when something unusual happens." Zeus explained.

Zack considered this. But he still didn't quite get the clear picture, so he had to quiry, "What does that have to do with me?"

Zeus continued, "Something unusual happens that connects to the reborn person's heart and those who connect to that same heart. Sometimes the lost memories return in forms of dreams or visions." he sighed, bracing himself to say this that he knew was going to send the young mortal into complete shock than he already was right now. "I didn't think this would happen, Zack, but you, are one of those destined people to be reborn."

"I am...reborn!?" Zack exclaimed, once he absorbed the words into his mind and couldn't believe the pieces of the puzzle that fit in that made sense but still didn't make any sense. Was this what Genesis and Angeal had been trying to tell him? "But that's crazy! Even Cloud, Sephiroth and-"

( **~End Cosmos's Theme*Keeping the Peace*~** )

He immediately cuts himself off and gasped. No...Sephiroth was reborn as well...not only that...

" _I've been having them a lot lately. About myself, or at least, a guy who looks like me in the ghost town of Nibelhiem which is his home...it was...being burnt to the ground by Sephiroth...the hero._ " Cloud told him back when they first met, back when they, Tseng and Reno were nearing Modeohiem.

So Cloud was reborn as well. And not just him, but everyone else Zack met that were in his dreams; Aerith, Yuffie, the Turks...and Zack suddenly felt his stomach drop. That also explained why Reno knew him immediately, and even Elena's puzzlement on findinge clues relating to the past. And now Genesis was attempting to repeat history, not from dreams, but from the past.

"I gotta stop Sephiroth from doing anything crazy!" Zack exclaimed, thanking Zeus before turning to race out to find the silver-haired man and former general of SOLDIER.

"Zack!" Zeus called out, making Zack stop in his tracks, before the former told him, more cautionly and softly this time, "Be very careful."

"You got it." Zack promised, racing out of the door as Zeus left his statue body via lightning and returned to Mount Olympus and everything was once again silent in the temple, save for Zack's rapid footsteps.

But just as he just stopped at the entrance to use the Starshard to find Sephiroth, Zack felt the familiar painful jolt he felt so many times in many weeks, and shut his eyes tight, holding his head as he felt dizzy, his vision darkening. He knew what this meant, and it came at such a bad time as well.

"Ugh!...not...now!" Zack grunted, before his world end black before he even hit the ground, once again brought into his dreams. Only this time, they were no longer be called dreams; they were painful flash-backs of his previous life.

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's Dreams/Memories)

( **~The Key of Darkness-KH:BBS~** )

 _Fragment 51: From that day, Sephiroth shut himself inside Shinra Manor... and proceeded to review document after document, like a man possessed. The lights in the basement never went off... And on the seventh day...Zack decided that he should find out what was really going on, the awful gut feeling in his stomach steadily growing worse. Cloud somewhat shared the concern and so did Tifa._

 _So, the young 1st Class SOLDIER ventured back into the Library of the Manor, only to find himself more concerned as Sephiroth was strangely laughing and even called him a traitor. Zack asked why, and Sephiroth told him._

 _"Long ago, catastrophe struck this planet." Sephiroth spoke, a completely changed man, somewhat glaring at Zack, continuning, "Your ancestors survived by scurrying about and hiding in fear. The planet escaped certain doom through the sacrifice of the Cetra. After which, your kind would multiply and assume control over the planet as if nothing had happened."_

 _Zack didn't understand what his friend was talking about, believing that Sephiroth was finally going nuts, "So what does that have to do with you?"_

 _"Don't you see?" Sephiroth snapped calmly, glaring at Zack as though he just became one of his most hated enemies in his life, "There is Jenova, an Ancient unearthed from a 2000-year-old stratum. And then, there is the Jenova Project._

 _The aim of the project was to create a human being with the powers of a Cetra."_

 _The silver-haired General turned his back to Zack, concluding, "Thus, they created me."_

 _"Created...?" Zack gapped, shocked and horrified. No...it couldn't be true. Even Sephiroth was an experiment from ShinRa? Just like both Angeal and Genesis? What kind of dark secrets did the Company he worked for really hold? Zack then thought he heard three other voices in his head, one that sounded strangely like Cloud's, another that sounded a little high-pitched, and the third sounded like a teenaged girl's, all sharing the same horrified feeling he was feeling._

 _Did that mean, behind his back, Zack himself, along with the other SOLDIERs who joined, Kunzel and such, Sebastion and Essai who both lost their lives to the AVALANCHE terrorists that were giving the Turks a devstating hard time, were all implanted not mako cells but secretly used as weapons for evil purposes? Were the Wutaiin troopers right all along?_

 _Fragment 52: When Zack chased after Sephiroth who pushed him out of the way, what he arrived in sank his heart and filled him with sheer horror. Nibelhiem was engulfed and swallowed in the burning flames. He found Cloud crippled on the ground as the young trooper had been knocked down but was thankfully still alive._

 _"Cloud! Are you okay?" Zack cried out, worriedly._

 _"Y-Yeah...but...Sephiroth..." Cloud muttered, panting as though he couldn't believe what was going on either, and Zack couldn't blame him. Now he felt slightly relieved to have warned his younger friend not to join SOLDIER._

 _As Zack gazed up a little, his eyes widened in further horror. Many people, the innocent citizens of the village...all lying in pools of blood and burning in the heat of the flames. One of them was an older woman close to her 40's, having blond hair that was just like Cloud's, dead as well. Zack correctly guessed that the woman was Cloud's mother._

 _"How could you...?" Zack grunted, breathing heavily as he stood up, tears forming his eyes. He turned around and saw the very man whom he once admired had caused all of this. Sephiroth smiled almost evilly, his cat-like eyes gleaming, his long sword in hand, and the flames were strangely not effecting him, stood there. If anything, it was as if the fires weren't there at all, when Sephiroth turned and calmly walked away...leaving the town to be destroyed by the fires and most of the town's population left to die._

 _"Sephiroth...how could you...?" Zack asked, his fists shaking. This was all Genesis's and AVALANCHE's fault! First Angeal, then Sebastion and Essai, and now Sephiroth!_

 _Tears threatening to escape, Zack knew he had to stop Sephiroth, there and now. He immediately made to follow, but to his shock, both the Mayor of the town followed, and then to his further shock, Tifa, in anger herself, went up the hill._

 _"Tifa, wait!" Zack called out, racing to follow, fearing for her safety._

 _Fragment 53: Zack had made it to the Mako Reactor, but was too late to stop Sephiroth from killing Tifa's father who was the Mayor, and injuring Tifa, who had been crying and was consumed by anger for the loss of her father and her village, blindlessly blamed ShinRa for everything. Zack felt guilt, knowing that he had been just as gullible as Tifa had been all this time, wishing he never joined SOLDIER in the beginning. But more than anything, he wished he could've stopped Sephiroth from killing so many innocent lives._

 _He attempted to reason with him at first, but Sephiroth was now long gone, replaced by a madman that was inside Sephiroth's body, ranting about going to some Promised Land, calling a very terrifying alien-like woman in a tank Jenova, his mother. Another dark secret he never knew. With no choice and having lost another friend, Zack attempted to fight him, but after a fierce battle, failed and was knocked back out of Jenova's room._

 _Zack had lost his grip at the Buster Sword, but felt it leave him as he weakly realised that Cloud had caught him and in blind anger, stabbed Sephiroth right through the stomach. But Sephiroth survived, even as Cloud tended to Tifa's wounds, now without his helmet. Zack told him to finish him off, so Cloud, in anger for the loss of almost everything he knew, and with incredible strength he never knew, fought against the Silver-Haired General, and despite being fatally wounded, knocked him into the Mako Pool below. Despite this, both Cloud and Zack passed out._

 _Fragment 54: Against their will and against the wishes of Tseng, Reno and Rude, Hojo had arrived and used Zack, Cloud and the survivors of Nibelhiem as experiments, never allowed to leave. Unknowinlgy to Zack, four years later, he awoke and decided to leave SOLDIER behind, managing to escape with an unconscious Cloud, escaping the manor with changing Cloud's mako-poisoned clothes for a SOLDIER 1st Class uniform he found, which suited his friend._

 _The two then escaped, with the aid of Cissnei who told Zack that he and Cloud were not longer considered as people, but experiments. Despite this, she allowed them to leave with a motorbike after she realised what happened to him and Cloud. Remembering his parting words to Aerith, Zack decided to head back to Midgar to see her, while having come to terms that, despite not having gone against the Company, he wasn't human to them anymore, but a traitor, an experiment subject, and a rouge SOLDIER, and Cloud was just an unconscious running corpse. This didn't stop Zack, however._

( **~End The Key of Darkness~** )

* * *

Groaning as Zack finally came back to his senses, the young man pushed himself up, and after shaking his head to rid the dizzy spells, he sighed in rejection and finally accepting the answers that had been brought to him all this time, but had been too stubborn to accept it, until now.

He finally discovered the truth.

"I get it now. This is what Genesis, Yen Sid and Zeus have been trying to tell me all this time." Zack told himself. He was in the adapted Midgar 8,000 years ago, where Kingdom Hearts was the heart of the original world. He really was the Zack in his dreams; the same person-SOLDIER 1st Class. Everyone else he met on this journey, Aerith, Yuffie, Cloud, the Turks, and Sephiroth, and even Angeal, they were reborn too, just like him. But none of them had any memories...until now. At least, Zack, Cloud and Sephiroth were regaining their memories.

He gazed up at the now night sky, the stars lit up. "Angeal...I wish I knew sooner. My dreams-no, my memories, they're my key." Zack soberly spoke up, hoping that his deceased friend was hearing him.

He knew now, he had to stop Sephiroth before history does repeat itself. Zack once again used the Starshard to take him to the former crazed general, hoping that at least he wouldn't fall into the same path of darkness as he did back in their previous lives. He felt himself being wisked away once more.

* * *

( **~The Key-KH:BBS~** )

Unfortunately, as Zack reappeared from the Starshard, at first he thought he was seeing the same dream of Nibelhiem burning again, but it was too real to be a memory. In the engulfing flames of a village that was burning right before his eyes, he felt the intensed heat all around him, Zack felt his heart freeze, his blood frozen cold. There in the middle of the fire that destroyed everything in the village he quickly realised to his horror was his home town of the present, the very person he feared would go berserk once again had fallen into darkness.

Zack failed to stop him again.

"What a coincedince." Sephiroth spoke darkly, having sensed Zack's arrival as he turned to face him. "Too late to stop me, just like in Cloud's hometown of Nibelhiem."

This couldn't be happening. It can't be happening! Not again!

"Sephiroth! What'd you do!?" Zack exclaimed, his fists shaking as he tightened them.

"Doing something to ease myself." Sephiroth answered, as though it was a mere conversation and wasn't even sorry at all. He then grinned a sinister grin that Zack recongised in their past lives, "I'm not done yet. Cloud is part of me, and I am part of him. His darkness is me, therefore, he is mine." as darkness covered his clothes, changing into a black darker version of his coat, red strapes, dark wags that symbolized darkness before the dark mist faded.

"Cloud!?" Zack gasped. Did this mean Sephiroth, now that he has his memories back, had truly fallen into darkness and now was going to get his revenge on the very spiky-blonde haired young man whom now was in grave danger? "What are you going to do to him!?" He demanded, standing to fight if he had to.

"To show him his realself." Sephiroth simply answered, extending his right arm and like on Genesis and Angeal, a single black wing appeared, before lifting himself off the ground and took off, before Zack could catch him.

" _Sephiroth!_ " Zack shouted, but cursed loudly at himself for his failure. If only he was faster. Damn it! It really was Genesis's fault! And despite not knowing who the elder man was, it was his fault as well for approaching Sephiroth and ranted about darkness. Just Zack quickly remembered what Yen Sid told him about the fates of Terra, Ven and Aqua, and Sephiroth's meeting took place eight years ago, around the same time as the trio had vanished to horrible fates.

Before Zack could pounder more into this, another one of his archenemies appeared, saying cockingly, "Oh, things are burning up-just the way I like it."

"Shut up, Hades!" Zack snapped, while trying to hold in his anger, since he didn't want to end up falling into darkness. "I don't have time for you!"

Hades ignored him, and mocked the young swordsman, enjoying the utter despair and anger that was developing, "How can you be a hero if you can't even save your own home town, kid?"

" _Shut up!_ " Zack shouted this time.

"Face it, you're nothing more than(Zack shouted in the middle of the mockery, "SHUT UP! I'm Warning you!") a loser, with a capital _"L"_." Hades continued, ignoring Zack's yells and warning, grinning evilly.

Zack breathed heavily, lowering his head down in guilt, despair, anger, hate and humilation. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Hades was right. Zack failed at so many things, both in his past and in his current life. Despite helping his friends in doing the right thing, he finally accepted that he was no good in being a hero as much as anyone else. Worse part is, he was feeling so much of the feelings in his heart, it was drawing him into darkness. The darkness in his heart was growing, and Zack couldn't do a thing about it.

But at the same time, Zack still refused to let his darkness control him just as it had controlled Sephiroth. And now, Cloud was in serious danger of falling into darkness. Zack had to try and save his friend, who lost so much in his past life. He had to go back to Midgar. Now.

"This isn't about my childhood dream anymore." Zack finally spoke up, which puzzled Hades, while continuing, "This is about my friends. About who I really am."

He looked up to glare at Hades, grunting, "You don't know half of what's going on, Hades; God or not." taking a few steps back before saying for the final time, slowly coming to accept his upcoming fate and he didn't care if he had to die in order to protect his remaining friends, "If I don't come back here alive, then I guess I'll be seeing you in the Underworld."

With that, Zack once again used the power of the Starshard, and by his wishes, the item wisked him away back to where his very beginning had started and now he was going to attempt to end the 8,000 year old curse.

While a little surprised at this unusual event, Hades sighed and grumbled to himself. "What's with guys these days? Jeez louise." ( **~End The Key~** )

Little did Hades know, that despite Zack's words, he wouldn't even be seeing the mortal's soul in the Underworld what so ever. Not even when Zack's fate was already sealed, along with Cloud's destiny.

* * *

By the time Zack had arrived back in the world of the Midgar Fragment, he found that Sephiroth had already caused some damage even to the Midgar Ruins. It was late at night, and some buildings were damaged, which evidence of sword slashes done by the masamune, and near the blocked road leading to the ruins, Zack spotted a familiar young woman with long back hair in a very loose ponytail, wearing a white tank top with straps, black shorts with matching boots, and boxing fingerless red gloves.

And she was crippled.

Horrified and disbelieved, Zack immediately rushed over to the young woman who looked no older than nineteen years old, and he knew, upon seeing her tear-soaked face with red-brown eyes, it was another one of those chosen to be reborn and now had suffered something she most likely didn't remember yet.

' _Tifa..._ ' Zack thought with guilt, as he knelt down, asking with grave concern, "Are you okay!?" before noticing a deep slash wound in her stomach that was still bleeding.

Tifa, having came to Edge to visit Cloud, but instead had been attacked by a raging silver-haired man whom haunted her in her dreams lately for the last couple of weeks, looked up to see a strangely familiar young man gazing at her, tears falling freely from her eyes, as she slightly sobbed.

"Stay down. Take it easy." Zack told her, giving her as much comfort as he could, and even pulled out some bandages the Turks gave him on his last visit just in case and thanked his lucky stars that they did that. He quickly bandaged Tifa's wound as best as he could to stop the bleeding, before settling her to lean against a building, hoping to come back to her to get her off to the hospital.

Right now, he had to stop Sephiroth. With that in mind, Zack once again took off, but didn't have to look far. He found him in the middle of an abandoned street, standing there alone and not fazed by Zack's sudden appearence.

"Cloud will arrive. Soon, his true purpose will be revealed." Sephiroth spoke evilly, as though he had an ability to foresee the future.

"NO!" Zack cried out, "Sephiroth, don't do this! Cloud doesn't deserve this!"

( **~The World's Enemy-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

"Then prove it to me." Sephiroth challenged, raising his sword into a fighting position, with the same crazed and mind-lost gaze in his eyes.

Zack couldn't believe this was happening again. He finally came to realise that words no longer reached to the man in front of him, and forced himself to steel up and draw forth the Buster Sword, grunting in dismay, "What has the Darkness done to you!?"

Zack then quickly blocked Sephiroth's fast attacks before forcing himself to back off and leap out the way before he ended up a kabab on masumune and had to only keep on leaping out of the way to avoid in getting killed. Even as Zack saw his chance once Sephiroth got close, he attempted to thrust at him with the blunt-side of the Buster Sword, but ended up missing, before he was kicked in the stomach and collasped to the ground. However, Zack managed to get to his feet and avoided the sword once more, as Sephiroth brought down the masumune whirling arc-hits that crash-locked up with the big sword. Zack drove back with the rage in his eyes.

Sephiroth wound for a single-slash, but Zack knew his technique now. He jerked forward into his own slash that cancelled out the masamune's in a ringing echo. He dove to get even footing but Sephiroth blocked him. That thin steel tip whirled in slitting whips. Whizzing hot steel sliced Zack's cheek, and his hand flew to his face as he leapt back. Zack then attempted to use his wind spell that he mastered through training, and then held a tight grip on the hilt of his sword, and then spun around three times, which created his tornado spell that surprisingly caught Sephiroth. Zack then conjoured up his Thunder spell to add to the effects in hopes to keep Sephiroth occupied.

However, Sephiroth easily sliced through the attack and launched himself forward, attempting to slice Zack into millions of pieces, but the younger man blocked each attack as hard as he could before dodge-rolling out of the way. He then blasted a fire spell at Sephiroth arm. While it did cause some burns, that only made the crazed man even more furious before he suddenly disappeared in feathers, and as Zack searched around for him, the silver-haired man reappearing above him, mumuring words, "Meteor." as a rift opened above him. Out of the rift of space and time several small chunks of flaming rocks rained down that were the size of Mickey, hurling towards Zack who ended up running to avoid the crashing large rocks of fire that caused vibrations on the ground which made cracks.

Sephiroth then made a Quadruple Slash at Zack who had trouble blocking it, even by using his new barrier spell he learned from both Merlin and via Materia use from Reno, before screaming out in agony as his enemy used another powerful move Octaslash that gave Zack deep severe wounds in his chest, arms, legs and stomach, knocking him back once more to the ground. He only had time to roll out of the way but realised he was getting slower and weaker, as Sephiroth teleported to get to him and Zack only had enough time to block the masamune before he ended up losing his head all together. Zack quickly used a healing potion to at least get half of his health and strength back before deciding to use his special attack when he first fought the Heartless in Traverse Town and fighting against Genesis in Modeohiem.

"Here we go! Go! Go! Go!" Zack yelled as he striked at him, upwards, downwards, left, right, corner-right down, corner-left down, corner-right up, and corner-left down, finishing off with a final single line strike, this time successfully knocking a slightly stunned Sephiroth back.

None the less, Sephiroth wasn't fazed by this and counterparted by using a combination of Firaga and Blizzaga that caused both burns and painful ice freezes at Zack who didn't have time to block them, before he quickly blocked Sephiroth's masamune once more as the silver-haired man teleported in front of him. The two clashed again from side, to up, to down, to side again, and tried to stab each other, but kept on blocking each other's attacks, though Zack was having serious trouble as he ended up having yet more cuts to his body which were still bleeding.

Zack jumped out of the way and blocked the second attempt before dodge-rolling. He then thrusted his sword in a powerful downward thrust at Sephiroth who leaped away before he could even get a scratch on him. Once again Zack was caught off-guard as Sephiroth suddenly appeared behind him and just as Zack turned around, again he was too slow as Sephiroth slashed and sliced at him several times in high speed before knocking him back several feet.

( **~End The World's Enemy~** )

Screaming out in agony, Zack crashed onto the ground after having rolled and slid to a stop on the hard road, back to where he left Tifa. He lost his grip on the Buster Sword which landed next to him, scattered. He was out to count, exhausted, bleeding and his vision started to go all dark.

Just as Cloud arrived. When he had noticed something unusal from his hotel room he'd been staying at for the last weeks, he immediately followed it after having a terrible feeling that made him fear for the worse. When he arrived, his eyes widened in sheer horror at the sight before him. Cloud gasped, before kneeling at the wounded and now unconscious Tifa, muttering her name, before catching glimpse at another friend and horror grew higher, seeing a defeated and weakened Zack on the ground. Immediately he felt that this scene was familiar, something he'd seen in his dreams last week.

"Zack..." Cloud muttered, unable to say anything else.

( **~Dread of Night-KH:DDD~** )

"So you finally arrived, Cloud." Sephiroth spoke as he paused just five feet from the trio, as Cloud looked up, his eyes widening in horror and disbelief, recongising the man from his nightmares, and unable to believe that the horrors of Sephiroth's wrath had actually come true. How could this be? "Perfect timing."

' _No...how could...how could he do this!?_ ' Cloud thought furiously, blaming himself for being unable to protect Tifa like his promised, and that Zack had lost the fight against the madman.

Zack noticed his friend, and despite feeling guilty for having to put Cloud who was oblivious to his past at the moment, knowing that it was very unfair that Cloud had to put up with facing Sephiroth all over again, grunted weakly, "Cloud...finish Sephiroth off..." using those words he said to his friend 8,000 years ago.

Gazing at his friend in shock, Cloud realised that Zack was asking him to finish off Sephiroth. He didn't know why, but suddenly Cloud wanted vengence, revenge and make Sephiroth pay for his crimes. So without hesitation, he stood up and rushed over to grab the Buster Sword, surprisingly feeling as though he used this weapon before, and the sword did feel strangely light, before he leaped over to the silver-haired man, screaming in fury, " _SEPHIROTH!_ "

Cloud leaped up before thrusting the Buster Sword down at him, but was blocked by Sephiroth's fast movement, clinging against the masamune with sparks that lasted for a few seconds, before the latter simply thrusted and knocked Cloud behind him as the younger man cried out before landing ten feet away as he rolled to a stop, fortunately with the Buster Sword still in his hand.

' _Damn!_ ' Cloud cursed to himself. Just then, sensing movement, he quickly rolled out of the way before Sephiroth could skewer him like a pathetic scrap of meat with the ridiculously long sword. Cloud struggled to stand, having been easily outmatched by the now former hero who had turned into some kind of monster, especially with the unusual black wing, just like Genesis had.

"You should know better, Cloud, than to test me." Sephiroth warned darkly. At least, he would get his revenge, draw his enemy crippled before him into never-ending darkness. Cloud will see what it's like to live in darkness.

"How could you do this!?" Cloud shouted, finding unusual strength grow inside him, as though something within his heart was calling out to him, to use some sort of power. Without any thoughts of his own safety, Cloud raced foward and clashed against Sephiroth who was shocked by the sudden recovery as Cloud slashed and clashed against him as though he remembered how to fight.

Unknown to everyone, Tifa, in her unconscious form, must've cried out to her friend as though she sensed Cloud was in trouble, because her body began to glow in light, which somehow connected to Cloud's heart, as his body now glowed in the same light as he and Sephiroth fought. Cloud gave another yell and pushed on his sword. Sephiroth pushed back, and then his eyes widened in surprise as the masamune was suddenly wrenched from his hands. The blade went flying through the air and out of his reach.

Cloud did not hesitate. He darted forward, breaking through Sephiroth's defences, and swung his sword. The Buster Sword glowed as he struck; landing blows again and again without pause or respite. Sephiroth cried out as each blow hit home, unable to defend himself from Cloud's attack.

For the final blow, Cloud leaped into the air and raised his sword above his head. The tip glowed brightly as all the energy within the blade gathered at that one point. Cloud descended and brought the blade crashing down upon Sephiroth. ( **~End Dreaed of Night~** )

Sephiroth stepped back, moving shakily and clutching at his wounded chest. Blood poured down his face and chest, spilling through his closed fingers and dripping onto the floor. Sephiroth coughed, and the movement caused him to drop his masamune, which clattered onto the floor. Sephiroth took a deep, shaky breath and slowly raised his head.

Cloud panted, before collasping to one knee, holding one hand onto the hilt of the Buster Sword, using the weapon as support, while Sephiroth stared at him with reanewed shock and hatred.

"Impossible! How could...how could you have that kind of power again?" Sephiroth exclaimed. Without waiting for an answer, he warned to his enemy, "Do not think this is over, Cloud. Someday...someday...I will return, and _you_ will give into the darkness!" and with that, he vanished in mixture of light and darkness, away from this world for now.

Cloud only stared at the spot where Sephiroth had disappeared from. He didn't understand what the latter was talking about or how he knew his name, and at the moment, didn't care. He was too exhausted to even consider the man's words right now. At the moment, his mind returned to the injured forms of both Zack and Tifa, and Cloud knew, he had to get back to them, hoping and praying that they weren't dying. If they died now, or if even because of Sephiroth, Cloud would never forgive himself.

But by the time he had slowly managed to get back to his friends, Cloud's strength finally gave way, as the Buster Sword slid from his weak grasp and clattered on the ground, before he collasped right next to Zack on his stomach, losing consciousness from exhaustion.

Zack, only having enough strength to weakly reach out, as he realised that his friend had won the battle for now, and whispered a croak, "Cloud...you did it..." before his hand went limp and his world went black once more.

All three of them were left lying on the ground, unconscious and bleeding.

* * *

 _A little while later..._

"I'm tellin' ya, boss! Sephiroth's back and is still as nuts as he was before!" Reno continued to try and have Tseng believe him on what happened a short time ago, which was only about half an hour ago. He and Rude had arrived to investigate more on their enemy, an Organization known as Militas Ultra who had been causing them and the ShinRa Company problems for the past six years, when Sephiroth had arrived and knocked the two Turks unconsious. Now Reno and his partner were reunited with Tseng and Elena who both caught up with them and were on their way to find whatever caused mysterious clashes they heard earlier.

"Are you certain it was Sephiroth and not Genesis?" Tseng questioned.

Reno rolled his eyes, "Pfft! Please, how many guys can wield a ridiculously seven-foot long friggin' sword that can be used as a skewer that'll turn you into a shish-kabob?" referring to the masamune.

"There's no mistaking of Sephiroth's sword." Rude commented in agreement.

Elena held a slightly terrified and concerned expression, questioning, "Can Sephiroth...really do that?"

"'Lena, as far as memories go, that silver-haired twit can kill a behemoth in just a single hit." Reno told the rookie. He was about to continue when, as he and his companions reached at the abandoned street, all four of them froze in their tracks as they saw the crippled forms of Zack, Cloud and Tifa, unconscious and barely even moving.

In shock and fearing for the worst, the four Turks immediately rushed over and checked over on how seriously injured the unconscious trio were, grimly discovering that Tifa's bleeding was being held by a bandage, Zack had cuts all over his body, and Cloud surprisingly suffered minor injuries but practically exhausted. Immediately the Turks knew, that Sephiroth was the case of this.

"Damn! They don't look so good." Reno muttered, quickly fearing for the worst.

Rude had checked their pulses-still active but slowly dimming. "They're still alive, but just barely."

"Will they be able to make it?" Elena asked, worriedly as she checked up on Tifa.

Reno shook his head as he knelt next to Cloud's unconscious form, sighing, "Not if we don't get them to a hospital." as this sight gave him a horrible image that he knew was a memory, one that made him close his eyes and forced himself to calm down. That was the past, he told himself. ShinRa was not the way they used to be anymore. But still, now that he slowly started to remember, the guilt that he most likely held in his previous life was making it's way into his heart.

Sensing the dread in his subordinates, Tseng quickly ordered in his best calm tone, despite that he too was feeling the familiar guilt upon seeing the unconscious forms of the trio, one of them actually being his friend, "Alright. I'll call for the hospital. Reno, Rude, Elena, take the three of them to the chopper and tend to their wounds until we reach the emergancy room."

"Yes, sir!" The three Turks quickly obeyed without hesitation, and while Rude carried Zack by the arms, Reno did the same with Cloud(while mentally grumbling, "Damn, I forgot how heavy you are, spike."), and Elena did the same with Tifa, all of them, with occasional help from Tseng who made the phone call to the Edge hospital, slowly making their way back to their Helicopter, hoping that it wasn't too late.

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's Dreams/Memories)

( **~Forgotten Tears-DIRGE OF CERBERUS FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

 _Fragment 55: Zack had drove the motorbike with the comatose Cloud in the passenger seat, before they were attacked by the still alive but still degrading Genesis who used his copies to hold Zack captive, and to the younger man's shock, not only he now had part of Jenova inside his system due to the experiments Hojo did to him, but one of the copies pulled out some of Zack's hair and ate it, as Genesis thought his cells would be the cure for the degradation before leaving with his other copies, except the one who had ate Zack's hair and had turned into a monster, which Zack defeated._

 _Fragment 56: Still travelling towards Midgar as Zack knew, on foot or by driving, it would take a year, he and Cloud had arrived at his hometown of Gongaga, but hesitated and decided that it was a bad idea to visit his parents, especially with the situation going on. He met up with Cissnei again who told him that Angeal was sighted, and that she wasn't in the mood in being on the job right now, also telling him that his parents are alright, just worried, and that she found that they were very nice people, and when asked about her parents, she replied that she's an orphan, raised by ShinRa, before taking her leave, but not before admitting that "Cissnei" isn't her real name._

 _Fragment 57: Zack was once again confronted by Genesis and Hollander who, in order to prevent himself from getting killed, injected himself with Genesis' cells despite now suffering the same degradation. The villians then took off and attempted to use Cloud's cells, before Zack and Cloud were aided by Angeal who is later revealed to be another Angeal copy, while Genesis left, and Zack finally killed Hollander._

 _The copy that saved Zack and Cloud was actually Lazard who had injected himself with Angeal's cells and had admitted that he was wrong, and decided now that he wants and needs to save the world from Genesis's wrath. The two decide that they need to stop Genesis once and for all, and after some thinking, Zack finally realised, as Genesis is always carrying a Dumbapple with him, he knew where to look for the man. With that, the trio joined and took off for the final showdown against Genesis._

( **~End Forgotten Tears~** )

* * *

 **A/N: The only reason why I've written the flash-backs as a sort of narration is because I'm now focusing on the main dialogue and fights and such in the present-day, since everyone knows how the original Crisis Core went despite that I changed a few things earlier on, and future final past memories of Zack will also be altered. In the meantime, we're almost at the ending of this story!**


	14. CHAPTER 13: Decisions

**Author's note: We're almost at the ending, and while it will be emotional, don't worry, this will not be the end of Zack since I like him so much.**

 **Let's continue on and please remember these notes.**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories, thoughts and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I hold no rights to Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy VII, Pokemon or Sailor Moon.**

* * *

CHAPTER 13: Decisions.

Zack had been aware that he'd seen more of the memories that were finally becoming more and more clear since he'd been knocked out, but he couldn't figure out where he was right now. As his world finally began to return to him, he slowly became aware that his body felt sore, but he was no longer lying on the ground. He was aware of the soft mattress touching the back of his body, his head resting on a soft but firm pillow, the beeping of something that he tried hard to recongise, but his tired mind failed to do so.

Finally, he willed his eyes to open, and while the light was a little too bright at first which made him close them slightly, he tried again, and this time, his vision was clearing as he became aware that he wasn't alone. Four familiar figures stood next to him on what he realised was a bed, and room was white with a heart monitor, and a doorway which led into the halls with a window that overlooked the city of Edge. One of the figures with the familiar bright red hair sat on the visitor chairs which was backwards, having his arms leaned on top of the leaning part, and his chin resting on his arms.

Zack then immediately recongised them; Reno, Rude, Tseng and Elena.

"Hey, looks like Sleeping Beauty's awake." Reno lightly teased, happily. His comrades were all relieved in their own ways.

Despite not knowing where he was, Zack remembered what had happened and sat up a little, groaning as his stiff body protested a bit, but managed to make himself more comfortable as he rubbed the back of his head. Zack was instantly aware that his wounds were mostly gone, his ruined clothes were replaced by what appeared to be a resting gown, while replacements of his outfit were next to the bedside table, with the Buster Sword leaned against the wall next to it.

"Where am I?" Zack asked, eyes shifting around at his surroundings again. It reminded him of the labs which he mentally shuddered, but this seemed...more nicer than Hojo's horrible labs.

"Edge Hospital." Reno answered simply, before sighing as he shook his head, showing his relief despite trying to hide it, "Man, you and the other two looked like hell when we found you."

Other two? At first confused, then Zack remembered. Cloud. Tifa. Looking around, the swordsman looked to his both sides of his bed. Behind the Turks to his right was Cloud, still but his breathing was even, possibly still out cold but alive. He didn't seem to have suffered as much injuries as Zack did. To his left, was Tifa in the similiar position. He couldn't tell if her wound was stitched up due to the thin white blanket covering her torso, but by judging her even breathing, even she was alright as well.

Still, Zack had to make sure, as he turned back to the Turks, asking, "Are they gonna be okay?"

"Don't worry. They'll be alright, and so will you, as long as you continue to rest, and then you'll make full recovery." Tseng answered, while making caution that Zack should continue to rest, via under the doctors' orders.

Zack sighed in relief. So Cloud did manage to stop Sephiroth after all. He still felt guilty for having failed to prevent history from nearly repeating itself, he was glad that they weren't stuck in test tubes or used as experiments. Which reminded him now that the Turks were here. He realised that they found them and brought them here for recovery, not like when...

He mentally shook off the thought. He didn't want to think about the horrible experiments from 8,000 years ago. So instead, he said, a little awkwardly now that he fully accepted that his dreams were memories of his previous life, "Um, I knew the three of you. Back in Midgar a long time ago, when I was SOLDIER, right?"

Reno rubbed the back of his head, seemingly uncomfortable himself, "Yeah, but I ain't got a clue about this whole reb-" before cutting himself off once he realised what Zack said, and exclaimed in surprise, "Wait a sec! You mean you remember now?" which surprised the other Turks once they absorbed on what the bed-ridden man had just mentioned.

"Yeah, sort of." Zack replied, before admitting, still a little uneasy about the entire rebirth thing, "Except that, all of my memories were shown to me in dreams. I think it's still going, or coming or whatever. I remember...that Cloud and I were used for experiments by Hojo...he placed some of Sephiroth's cells inside us."

The four Turks glanced at each other on what young swordsman was saying, which again brought uncomfortable memories in three of them who knew what Zack was talking about. Tseng then quired, "So your memories came to you in forms of dreams, correct?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Zack confirmed.

Reno easily sympathied the man who was still a year younger than him, saying, "Not easy, huh? I think I know how you feel, though." and Rude and Elena both nodded in agreement.

' _I'll bet._ ' Zack thought to himself. While he knew that, even now, Reno was still hard to figure out, but even the redhead was human. A Turk, but human. He then realised that even they had their memories returning to them, which meant that, like himself, Cloud and Tifa, the Turks were all reborn into the future to have new lives. He then asked, finding himself curious, "So, how did you guys remember?"

The Turks glanced at each other once, wondering if they should reveal what was going on in this world, before turning back to Zack, and Tseng was the one to explain, "We have recovered some of our memories, but they were, rather impossible to decode as children. Our memories only grew stronger as we all reached adulthood."

When Zack looked a little uneasy, Tseng continued while assuring him, "As such, we're still recovering missing pieces of them, but to ensure you, Rufus does not intend to repeat history."

Rufus. Rufus ShinRa. The son of the President of the Company in Midgar in the past. Even he was reborn. Rufus had been the vice president and from what Zack could remember, he had a total dislike towards his own father which was understandable since the old President, along with Hojo especially, were the most disliked people in human history. So Rufus was a bit different now, huh?

Wanting to know more, Zack then questioned, "What about his old man?"

"Well, ol' Shinra wasn't reborn or whatever, but Rufus's second old man wasn't any better." Reno answered easily this time, beating Tseng to it, much to his superior's annoyance. "About six years ago, he died, so Rufus became the new President and has been ever since, so, things are trustful around here." and he meant it. Despite the still ongoing war against the terrorists known as Millitas Ultra, ShinRa was definately not the same as they were before.

Relieved at this, Zack then remembered that, it meant that those who did the right thing, chosen or not, were reborn to live in the future, though it didn't make sense in why Sephiroth was chosen to be reborn. Wait, if all of the Turks were reborn, then that meant...

Cissnei.

Zack realised that he hasn't seen Cissnei yet, and asked, a little urgently, "What about Cissnei?"

( **~Discovery in Sadness-DIRGE OF CERBERUS FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

Startled by the unexpected question, the Turks once more shared an uncomfortable glance, as though more tough memories returned to them, and suddenly felt that Zack would going to be saddened by the bad news which wasn't as bad as one would think, but it was still a little heartbreaking. Eventually after a tensed moment of silence, Reno sighed and explained, "She ended up quitting the Turks a few months ago to have a normal life. I think she blames herself since we lost one of our elite Turks-Legend who committed sacrificed himself by killing himself and a suicide-terrorist who tried to kill thousands of people in Cosmo Canyon."

So Cissnei was no longer a Turk despite having been reborn as well, because the guilt was unbearable, even for someone like her who grew up to be an adult quickly, but Zack then realised that even Cissnei showed emotions that threatened to break her. Which meant that the sacrifice of this Legend guy finally made Cissnei reach her breaking point.

"That wasn't her fault, though." Zack pointed out, saddened.

"Yeah, but she wouldn't listen, no matter how many times some of us tried to comfort her." Reno sighed, and he knew, because he was one of those people who tried to give his former collague and friend the comfort that she needed.

"I see." Zack muttered. If only he could find her and tell her that it wasn't her fault. But on the other hand, he blamed himself for having to kill Angeal due to Genesis, and having asked Cloud to finish off Sephiroth. In fact, despite not having known what really happened eight years ago, he blamed himself for the horrible fates of Terra, Ven, Aqua, and Serenity.

( **~End Discovery in Sadness~** )

"Zack." Tseng began once more, before he pulling something out of his coat's pockets and to Zack's shock, it was his Starshard. He completely forgot about it. The Wutaiian Turk continued, "This object of yours, I gather this is what you used to travel to other worlds, yes?"

Zack's eyes widened in shock. He didn't reveal anything about that. "How did-!?"

"Just because we haven't seen other worlds or notice that you came back doesn't mean we're stupid." Reno easily cuts him off, explaining with a lazy shrug, "This is one of the few places that knows about other worlds, but hasn't told anyone about it."

So even ShinRa was aware of other worlds? Zack felt uncomfortable once more. How many of those few worlds did know about other worlds. He suspected that Mickey's world must know, and it was plainly obvious that the mysterious tower was another since, well, it only had one occupant.

"Come to think it, I think this is the very spot where some war took place." Reno continued after some deep thinking.

"Huh? A war?" Zack asked, confused. It couldn't have been the Wutai War, could it? He also remembered about another War, the Sorceress War, took place 8,000 years ago too, which left many children orphaned.

Tseng explained, "The legend says that around 3,000 years ago, war took place in our world, all the worlds which were originally a single world. People fought for the secrets of Kingdom Hearts, but ended up splitting the worlds into what is known today, as the true Kingdom Hearts itself sleeps, waiting to awaken. I've heard much about the legend in Wutai, during my second childhood."

"So...that happened after the Calamity?" Zack guessed.

"Seems like it." Reno shrugged. He and the other Turks knew that Zack was talking about Jenova.

Absorbing all of the information he learned today, combined with everything else he learned ever since leaving Olympus Coliseum to find answers of his dreams, Zack never had thought that it would come down to this, and what's more, he wasn't certain that Genesis was reborn himself or not. It seemed very unlikely for some reason, and the man himself was still out there. There was still missing pieces of the puzzle that needs to be solved, and Zack realised, combined with his memories, he's the only one who can solve this and put an end to Genesis's mad terror upon other worlds and prevent him from making other people lose their minds into madness and their hearts into darkness.

"Genesis is still out there." Zack muttered after a few moments, which made the Turks narrow their eyes in confusion. "I have to stop him. I have to get all of my memories back to make things more sense..."

"You need to rest." Rude instantly told Zack who made a move to try and get up and stopped him from doing anything too foolish.

Zack glared at the Turks, even at Tseng quickly admended, "He's right. Zack, just wait until you made full recovery. We'll be keeping an eye on you."

"Waiting is not my thing." Zack groaned, collasping back onto the bed in defeat. While he knew that they were admittedly right, that didn't mean he had to like it. Plus, he was too concerned about the other worlds and what other damage Genesis could do if he didn't stop him on time.

This only made Tseng chuckle a little, "You haven't changed at all."

Even Reno grinned, teasing, "Yeah, you're the same Slick I knew in the previous life." seeing more fond memories appear in his mind.

"Aw come on!" Zack half-heartedly pouted, before his expression turned serious once more, requesting to the four Turks as he glanced at both the unconscious forms of Cloud and Tifa, "At least look after Cloud and Tifa when I leave. I don't have much time."

( **~Missing You-KH2~** )

"Uh, sure. No problem." Reno replied, with the others nodding in agreement.

"Zack...we're just worried about your health." Elena told him.

After a moments of silence, the Turks moved to leave, but as Reno stood from the chair, he paused, then turned back to face the recovering man in bed, telling him in order to prevent Zack from getting the wrong idea and also to lift the weight that was hanging on his shoulders, "Don't think that you're a prisoner, man. This is nothing like whatever happened before. And just so you know, there aren't any traces of Hojo or Hollander anywhere. A few years back, we concluded that they're still dead."

Well, that was a relief at least, Zack thought. He'd hate to think that those like Hojo and Hollander would've been either reborn or revived to cause any more evil than the two had already done 8,000 years ago. That would've been some kind of a sick joke if those two scientests were here in the present. Sighing, and remembering how he himself had killed the degrading Hollander, he admitted, "Yeah...Hollander had injected himself with Genesis's genes, and I was the one to kill him in the past."

"That explains a few things." Reno thought, not certain if he heard that part before or not. There were memories still missing from his past and he was certain that more were yet to come. At the moment, he admitted, a little reluctantedly, "To tell the truth, Genesis attacked us and reminded us too. What gets to me is, if he was reborn, why does he look like he was in the past and not on some other job?"

"I don't know, man." Zack thought, miserbly. "Maybe he wasn't reborn at all, or something. I wish I had the answer." and he also wished he knew the answer on why his body changed into that of his previous life. Sure he'd been identical to his pastself before now that he thought about it, but being phsyically changed like this...something really happened.

"You ain't the only one." Reno chuckled softly, before losing his smile as he thought, and his eyes did hold slight fear as he continued, "I want to find the answers too. A lotta things are happening around here, and...I hate to admit it, but, I'm really freaked out about all this."

( **~End Missing You~** )

"Reno!" Rude called from the hallway.

Sighing, Reno called back to his partner lazily, "Yeah, yeah. I'm comin'." then turned to face Zack for the last time, smiling a little again, "Well, you make a nice recovery, and then when you're 100% A-ok, you can go off and find Genesis. If you want, the Turks can help you. Just let us know."

"Yeah, thanks."

With a nod, Reno waved a farewell before heading out of the door to meet up with his co-workers, leaving Zack alone with the unconscious Cloud and the unconscious Tifa, left to his own thoughts about the situation. He appreciated Reno's offer for help, except that...he didn't want anyone else involved. As Zack sighed and gazed up at the ceiling, he recalled on what Sephiroth told him, about the man who talked about darkness and tried to get Sephiroth to accept it. Looks like he succeeded in doing that after eight years, thanks to Genesis's help.

He then realised that the guy who talked to Sephiroth eight years ago could very well be the same evil man who forced both Terra and Aqua to disappear and caused Ven to lose his heart and land in an never-ending coma that was worse than Mako Poisoning that Cloud had suffered for just five years, just as Yen Sid had told him.

( **~The Other Promise-KH2 Final Mix~** )

"Angeal...call me stupid, but I can't just sit around and wait." Zack sighed, once again speaking to his deceased friend, and he meant it. He couldn't just wait. He didn't care if he was injured or not. He had to stop Genesis once and for all, even if it meant losing his life and end up stuck in the Underworld for all eternity.

So after a little protesting and making sure that the doctors weren't around to see this, Zack slipped out of bed, changed out of his hospital gown for his newly replaced SOLDIER 1st Class uniform, and found to his relief that Tseng had left the Starshard on the bed side table as well. Hoisting the Buster Sword onto his back and grasping the Starshard once more, he gazed for the final time at Cloud and Tifa. He knew that they were in good hands and were safe and as long as he could protect them, they will remain safe.

"Cloud...Tifa...give me a little more time, okay?" Zack muttered, before closing his eyes shut, and concencrated on what he wished for; to find Genesis and put an end once and for all.

It granted his wish, and like many times before, Zack was wisked away in the familiar zipping light which even went through the ceiling of the hospital and left Edge behind to continue his quest and to end it once and for all. Zack didn't know if he'll ever see it again, but that was the last thing on his mind.

It was only half an hour later when Reno returned to check up on the trio, only to discover that the middle bed was completely empty. All was there was the hospital gown. The redhead gasped before turning to the bedside table and his fears were confirmed; it was also empty. Gone were the Buster Sword, the replacement of Zack's clothes, and the star-like item that Tseng had left behind. The Turks had just made a mistake in leaving it with Zack, realising that he wouldn't just stay put.

"Zack!" Reno cried out, despite that the swordsman was long gone. ( **~End The Other Promise~** )

Tseng wasn't going to be happy about this. In fact, Reno was certain that his superior would most likely be mentally kicking himself for leaving the Starshard behind.

* * *

When Zack landed in an canyon like pathway on a dirtroad, after a bit of a wobble due to his injuries but managed on his own, he pocketed the Starshard before walking towards the path that led down to outside of the canyon. This place was familiar, he was certain of it. It was more of a country now that he realised it. He was familiar of the country part of things, even if it now felt strange and deserted since he lived the last eight years in Thebes.

But as Zack paused to a stop on the cliff that has the perfect view of the entire village before him, at first he thought it was strange that it looked familiar, but when his eyes darted more closely, they widened in disbelief. He recongised this place. Save for the now gone Mako Reactor, the village was just as the same as it was in his previous life.

"This place... this is my old hometown!" Zack exclaimed to himself, feeling a surge of happiness rise in his heart. "This is Gongaga!"

Gonaga. His birthplace of his previous life. He was finally here.

* * *

A little has changed as Zack realised, since his recent memories had showed the Mako Reactor had blown up and left as a huge metal scrap of junk. Now it had been cleared up for a couple of more farm houses which was a nicer change of pace. It seemed that either everyone was inside or had gone off somewhere. He couldn't tell and even though this was his old home, to those who were born here after 8,000 years, he was an outsider, and at the moment, he certainly felt like one.

While he was saddened by the fact that his parents in his previous life were gone, and...his parents back in Olympus Coliseum...Zack shut his eyes at the truthful hurt and horror that they died in the fires Sephiroth had caused.

No. He shouldn't think like that right now. Genesis had to be here, Zack was certain of it.

"This is very surprising." A familiar female voice spoke behind him.

Startled and quickly finding that the voice was as clear as he had heard it in his memories, Zack whipped around in surprise, and his eyes widened in shock for the second time today. The young woman, same age as Cloud...the same uburn curly hair, the same matching eyes, the same face...the only difference was that she wasn't wearing her Turk uniform. Instead, she was wearing a light blue dress, brown boots, and a necklace. But there was no mistaking of her now.

"Cissnei!" Zack exclaimed without thinking, realising this a second later and awkwardly asked, "You uh...remember me, right?"

Cissnei nodded, replying, "Who else do you look like, Zack? Even after a long time, you haven't turned up here at all."

She was right. He hasn't been here since 8,000 years ago, and Zack had a feeling that must've been the last time they ever saw each other. He rubbed the back of his neck, muttering, "I'm sorry. I only just remembered myself recently and well..." he trailed off, unable to continue.

"I'm the one who should apologuise." Cissnei told him, and before he knew it, she was unable to hold in her emotions right now and hugged him which surprised him for the third time today. When Zack gazed at her, he could see, she was close to tears, especially when she added, "I couldn't save you in the past..."

Oh crap. Reno had said that Cissnei was feeling guilty for Legend's death. Now Zack just made it worse since he inadvertedly made his old friend remember and it made him uncomfortable and feeling guilty himself. So he did the only thing he knew he could do; he akwardly hugged her in return to give her comfort.

They stayed like this for a few moments, before letting each other go. After a moment of silence, Zack couldn't help but admit, "I can't think of the last time I saw you."

Wiping away her tears, Cissnei nodded in agreement, "I know. I haven't even told you my real name...at least, I don't think I have."

"That's okay. The past can't be changed, no matter how hard you try. You can only remember it. Even remembering is hard."

That was true. Their past can't be changed and even remembering can be difficult. But then, Zack realised that the memories never even faded. Just sleeping, even within the remains of the Lifestream or even Kingdom Hearts. Or even people's souls. Either way, they can't always live in the past.

Cissnei was in an agreement, and while she was relieved to see another person she met in her previous life, she couldn't help but question, "What brings you here?"

"It's Genesis. He's the reason why I came back." Zack answered.

"I see. So it's true, then. Genesis is still alive." Cissnei thought, with some concern.

"Reno told me that you guys encountered him a few years back."

"That's right. I assume he told you that I'm no longer with the Turks, right?"

Zack nodded, before telling Cissnei, "It wasn't your fault. You did what you could." referring to Legend.

"I guess..." Cissnei muttered, rubbing her forearm in slight guilt.

"So anyway, thanks."

"Huh? For what?"

( **~Friends in my Heart-KH2~** )

The swordsman smiled warmly, telling his old friend, "For everything...in the past. It doesn't matter what happened before, because this is the future. But at least one thing hasn't changed. We're still friends, right?"

The former Turk blinked in surprise, then when she realised what he meant, she smiled and nodded, "Right. Perhaps now would be the time I told you my real name."

Cissnei leaned up to Zack who bend a little as the former whispered out her real name she didn't get the chance to in their previous lives. When she did that, the two leaned away as Zack smiled, liking the real name.

"Rekka, huh? That's your name?" Zack thought.

"I was given my current name by ShinRa, and I still use it. I prefer being named Cissnei anyway, since I'm used to it." Cissnei shrugged a little.

"Well, you can use whatever name you feel comfortable with. Plus, both Rekka and Cissnei suit you perfectly." Zack told his friend, which made her blush a little with a smile. ( **~End Friends in My Heart~** )

"Indeed it does." A new unwelcomed familiar voice spoke, seeming above them.

Zack and Cissnei both glanced around in alarm before looking up, just in time to see Genesis shoot down, his crimson sword in hand and made to attack Cissnei who froze. But Zack immediately pushed her out of the way, but were still both knocked away by Genesis's Firaga spell and land five feet away hard on the ground, while the crimson man landed gracefully without a hard hit.

( **~Xigbar-KH:DDD~** )

"Yet, none of us were heroes in the past, and it'll be the same here in the present." Genesis continued tauntingly, pierching his sight on the two who stood up with little difficulty.

Zack grunted at his arch enemy, "Genesis!"

"How tragic...Meeting an old friend who you haven't seen in years." Genesis continued to taunt.

Realising that Cissnei's life was at risk if he didn't get her out of here fast while keeping Genesis at bay, Zack turned to his friend and urgently told her, "Cissnei! Run!"

Cissnei gasped at this, trying to protest, but Zack stopped her, continuing with a serious look in his eyes, "Don't worry about me! Just go!"

She hesitated. Cissnei didn't want to lose Zack again, not when they just reunited. But by judging the look on his face, he didn't want anything happen to her, especially when Genesis was very dangerous in strength. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to do so and nodded, muttering, "Be Careful." before making a run for it, praying that Zack would be alright this time.

"How noble. Protecting her now, hmm?" Genesis smirked, as though he was enjoying the scene.

"Leave Cissnei out of this!" Zack snapped, glaring at him with anger that he tried to control. However, before he could say anything further or even prepare himself into fighting Genesis once more for round two, the familiar painful jolt hit his mind once more, and he squeezed his eyes shut, hissing in pain. No, not now!

"Not again...!" Zack grunted, before blacking out before he collasped.

Genesis smirked, but then grunted as he shut his eyes tight, and black mists of darkness began to show on his chest, but he shook his head and then took off into the sky to make his escape once more. He used too much darkness through out the entire ordeal and now the darkness was starting to take a hold of him.

There was only one place he can retreat to for now, and Genesis knew, Zack would find him there. ( **~End Xigbar~** )

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's Dreams/Memories)

( **~Moonlight Wandering-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

 _Fragment 58: When Zack, Lazard and the unconscious Cloud made their way into the Banora ruins that had greenary grow all over the place. It hasn't completely covered the manor. The Lifestream was all over the place. After Zack learned about the nature of the Dumbapples and requested Lazard to take care of Cloud, Zack ventured off to find Genesis new hideout, finding a hole in the ground which he follows, finding records of Genesis's secret childhood hideout, finding a desk and an old diary of some sorts._

 _Zack read it aloud, "_ _ **First Prize: Banora White juice. Processed foods Category, National Agriculture Awards. The Idea to make this juice came from a Banora youth named Genesis.**_ _Wow._ _ **Genesis' comments: I am very honored. Banora White Juice tastes great, but the fruit itself is quite tasty as well. My dream is for my parents and me to serve the hero Sephiroth our apples one day. Since we are close in age, I would like to show him what I've accomplished in my life.**_ _Wow...just wow!"_

 _Seeing this as a new light, Zack decides that Genesis had suffered the same fate as he casted upon Angeal and Sephiroth; Hollander and ShinRa were the cause for all of this. He then decided to try and save him from his fate._

 _Fragment 59: When Zack ventured through the crystal caves, he found Genesis at what appeared to be the statue of the goddess and despite his words in saying that he wasn't a monster, Genesis gathered the Lifestream energy that turned him into a large monster which forced Zack to battle him. Afterwards, Genesis returned to normal, the same way he was before he began to degrade. Despite this, Zack was forced to fight him the second time and was victorous, with the statue seemingly cracking and breaking. After Genesis was knocked out unconscious, Zack carried him back to the surface._

 _Fragment 60: Upon Zack's return, Lazard died after protecting Cloud who was seated in a chair after ShinRa troops attacked and took back the bike. He was aided by the Angeal Copy that protected Aerith, and after a bizzure picnic of Dumbapples, Lazard and the Angeal Copy faded away into the Lifestream, where Zack found a letter from Aerith-her 89th and possibly final letter and to Zack's shock, four years had passed and made him realise that he was reported dead._

 _Knowing that he had to find Aerith and let her know that he was okay and apologise to her, coming to fully accept that he loved her, Zack carried Cloud while leaving the seemingly dead Genesis behind._

 _Little did Zack know, his and Cloud's fates were fully sealed, and this was leading into the beginning of something much more threatening than the last seven years of conflicts._

( **~End Moonlight Wandering~** )

* * *

' _...Ugh...What happened?_ ' Were Cloud's thoughts as he slowly awoke. He remembered having passed out on the ground...instantly memories of what happened earlier came back to him and he jolted upright in his hospital bed, exclaiming, "Tifa! Zack!" while accidently having startled Reno who jumped nearly out of his skin at the sudden wake up call.

"Whoa! Calm down, Cloud. You nearly gave me a heart attack." Reno told him.

Recongising Reno and ignoring the annoying redhead's comment, Cloud instantly asked about his two friends, "Where are they?"

"Tifa's fine. She's still fast asleep." Reno answered quickly, gesturing at the bed next to the empty one to Cloud's left.

True to Reno's words, Cloud saw his childhood friend sleeping eventually since the last 24 hours. While he was relieved that Tifa was alright, he turned back to Reno, noticing the absence of his recent friend that was more familiar to him, and questioned, "What about Zack?"

' _Ah, hell. I was afraid he'd ask that._ ' Reno grumbled to himself, hesitating on how to break the news. He already had seen the slight frustration coming from Tseng, he didn't want to hear it coming from the spiky-chocobo haired guy as well. In the end, Reno knew that he had to give out the semi-bad news. So with a resigned sigh, the Turk explained, "He ran off to take care of some business, and had asked us Turks to look after you and Tifa. So, if I were you, I'd stay behind 'till he gets back. I mean, that blow you guys got from...you-know-who wasn't a pretty sight."

He was careful in not to reveal Sephiroth's name, but Reno had a feeling that Cloud knew what he was talking about.

Cloud, stunned by the words, gazed his sight at the sheets. Zack left, and wanted the Turks to keep him and Tifa safe? Cloud felt his chest tighten, suddenly feeling that it was his fault that Sephiroth had come and hurt his friends. What did Sephiroth mean by his words? Was it connected to his nightmares? Why did it have to involve his friends? He then realised that, as long as Sephiroth was around and was still alive, no one would be safe, and Zack didn't stand a chance in defeating him. What if Zack left to handle him?

The blonde clutched his fists. It was his fault, and he had to do something to keep them safe. It would be difficult since he was in a hospital and despite knowing that escaping would land him in trouble, Cloud knew that there wasn't any choice.

"Sorry, but I can't stay." Cloud said to Reno, and before the latter knew what was about to happen, Cloud did the only thing he could think of.

He punched him in the face.

It was a surprisingly hard hit that Reno was out like a light and the red-haired Turk collasped onto the floor. Cloud mouthed an apology before getting out of bed and found what appeared to be a SOLDIER 1st Class uniform on his bedside. It was a little big on him, but he could cope. With that in mind, he changed out of his hospital garment and into the uniform. It felt...familiar and just right. But Cloud didn't have time to think about that. He gazed at Tifa for the final time, knowing that as long as she stayed put, she would be safe.

With that, and with some difficulty through the hospital, he managed to sneak away to the back exit and left.

* * *

It wasn't even seven minutes later when Tifa woke up slowly as well. Pushing herself up as she instantly realised she was in a hospital and with memories of what happened came back to her, she glanced around and noticed two empty beds, one of them haven't even been made up. It seemed like that patient left somere. She then remembered, the strange feeling of warm light while she was unconscious. She didn't know why, but she had felt, more than seen, that Cloud was fighting the madman who attacked her, the one who demanded to know where Cloud was.

Sephiroth.

' _Cloud. Where are you?_ ' Tifa thought. She had to find him, and fast. With that in mind, despite still being sore, even though she realised that her fatal wound was stitched up and healed by use of healing magic, she slipped out of bed and noticed the unconsious redhead on the floor. He looked familiar, but decided to worry about who he was later.

Right now, she had to find Cloud. As Tifa, still in her hospital garment and knowing that she had to find suitable clothes for travel uses, raced out of the room and down the hallway...

And passed a sudden shell-shocked Elena who, being a rookie, didn't have enough time to even think about chasing after the still recovering woman, calling out her name, but was ignored. She already heard that Zack disappeared and instantly her fear grew. Elena then turned and raced into the room where her fears were confirmed.

All three beds were empty, so Cloud must've left before Tifa woke up. Even worse, Reno was sprawled onto the floor, out cold, and with a deep purple bruise that was growing on his jaw. Elena, fearing for her superior, raced over and sat on her knees, grasping at his shoulder and shook him.

"Reno! Wake up, Reno!"

This did the trick, as Reno groaned while mentally grumbling at his sore face and head, before flickering his eyes open. The first person he saw above him was a worried Elena. Just great.

So, the first thing Reno told the rookie was a weak chuckled, "Tseng's gonna kill me."

Now they had to find Zack, Cloud and Tifa and get them back to the hospital so that the three of them could make full recovery, or at least find them before they could get themselves killed by not only Genesis and Sephiroth, but also ShinRa's current enemy; Militas Ultra.

* * *

 _ **Back with Zack...**_

"Genesis!" Zack cried out as he awoke from another memory. Panting while trying to tell himself to calm down, the young swordsman stood up and gazed around for any signs of the crimson man. To his dismay, Genesis had disappeared again. Sighing, he thought about his recent memories; ShinRa...no, he told himself, Hojo and Hollander...they're the true monsters, and they tricked most of ShinRa into this. Those memories must've caused Genesis's heart to slowly surcumb to darkness and that darkness must've told him to force out memories of the past out of Zack himself, Angeal and Sephiroth. Maybe even the Turks and Cloud as well.

While Zack was aware that he had to find Genesis and possibly fight him, he decided now and then, he won't let Genesis go crazy anymore, even if it was the last thing he'd do.

But where could...

Zack's eyes narrowed. Now he remembered.

Banora; That's where he has to go.

* * *

( **~An Ancient Hymn Sung By The Water-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

Once again, the Starshard teleported Zack to where he needed and wanted to be. The Banora Ruins. As Zack looked around, he had thought that Banora was different the last time he saw it. Now it was unrecongisable. It was as though he just stepped into a fresh green forest that covered everything. None the less, the pathway towards the underground tunnel was still clear at least.

"Genesis...I'll find you." Zack muttered, before making his way down the path, pushing away the bushes and leaves, cutting away a couple of fallen trees, and continued to follow the path as long as he could.

Eventually, he found the entrance which had been a little hard in getting out off, but he had found an exit before. Zack knew he could find it again, but for now, his mission was to find Genesis and get him to his senses. Zack knew where to go, because it wasn't by following directions.

It was following his memory.

So Zack carefully climbed down the pit, making it to the bottom safely, and right there, was the building of the secret base that Genesis used so many times. The path diverted off in two separate ways. A short path to the right and then a long one that curved to the left. He knew that it was the same one that he read up about Genesis' youth and the Banora White Juice. He sighed. There was no need to look at it now, especially when he already remembered.

With that in mind, Zack instead followed the longer path, passing the familiar crystal like carven while fighting off against the resident monsters that were thankfully not Heartless, but were still dangerous along the way.

( **~End** **An Ancient Hymn Sung By The Water~** )

But as Zack had found where he was looking for, it seemed he had one more obstacle to reach Genesis as all of the secret locks from 8,000 years ago were gone.

( **~Hunter of the Dark-KH:BBS Final Mix~** )

But in front of the podium and the opened large doors, was what apppeared to be a Behamoth, but as Zack looked a bit more closely, this thing was somehow...mutated to be two times bigger, having a double club tail with spikes, a large green mane like a lion's, it's skin turned into scales, and it's head was that of a giant Condor's, and it wasn't happy to see him, especially as it roared, stomping it's front legs that caused vibrations.

"Boy oh boy..." Zack sighed, drawing out the Buster Sword, holding onto it's hilt tightly, "I guess this is a breath of the wild." before dodging out of the way as the double club tail came at him. The tail hit the far wall and was buried up to the hilt. The impact caused cracks to form in the wall, spreading more than a metre before coming to a stop. Zack got to his feet and charged, slashing at it's leg before rolling out of the way when the Behemoth roared and charged, creating small tremors around the entire room that was practically too dangerous to run the risk of a cave in.

With it's back turned to him, Zack immediately Firaga, causing severe damage to the monster's scales as it roared in anger, before it turned just in time to see Zack preform his Tornado Spell as he spun three times before sending it over. It was hit in the gust of powerful in before he leaped into the air and with a yell, he slashed at the side of it's body and cut into the flesh, but still not deep enough to kill it immediately though it still made a deep flesh wound as blood splattered out which was coloured unusually yellow and orange which reminded him of...well, let's just say it gave him memories of throwing up when he was stomach-sick, mainly due to a few cases of food poisoning.

The stench that came with this blood reminded him of that as well and made him feel nausous. Zack shook that thought away as he jumped back to avoid the Behamoth's left front claws that were as long as his arms, and then had to duck behind a rock when the monster flared up green gas which, seeing as it hit grass on the ground and moss the walls, it was poison as the greenary died instantly. He narrowed his eyes at this, knowing that he'd have to be extremely careful with this thing and wondered how Genesis managed to avoid this thing. When the monster near him, Zack instantly chanted Thunder which hit the monster's head, but did very little damage, but it did distract it enough for him to use the trick he used back in training in the simulation program in his first memory-dream that repeated itself since his journey began.

Zack slid his way underneath the monster while narrowly missing it's right claw and beneath its belly, he raised his sword and sliced through the soft flesh. Blood spread across the blade and dripped onto the floor, but Zack was already gone. Avoiding the thrashing tails, he rolled out from underneath and scrabbled out of the way. He turned back to the Behemoth. The monster was flailing wildly. Its four legs stamped on the ground, but its movements only served to increase the amount of blood pouring from its wound. Its head swung left and right, saliva flying from its frothing jaws. None the less, it was still tough enough to notice him and spat out a large green glob of poisonous saliva that was the size of him like a cannon ball of a pirate ship. Zack leaped away, but the impact of it caused him to fall to the ground. He nearly lost the grip of the Buster Sword, but Zack managed to hold onto it, and quickly rolled out of the way several times to avoid in getting crushed to death by the double club-tails and almost lost the upper half of his body when the Behemoth attempted to bite him at his torso.

"Take that!" Zack yelled, as he thrusted the sword at the same side he made the deep cut once the Behemoth was close enough, causing it to roar in agony as it was losing more of it's disgusting blood which Zack tried hard to fight off the urge to gag at the horrible stench and to prevent himself from losing his lunch, not to mention avoid in _becoming_ lunch himself. He cart-wheeled out of the way while expertly slashing at it's front legs as he did so, realising that it was another skill he quickly remembered from his previous life and repeated this attack three more times.

He then stopped as the Behemoth suddenly rose onto its hind legs. Zack jumped back just as the front legs came crashing back down onto the ground. The impact caused the ground to shake, and Zack tottered, trying to stay on his feet. A shadow fell over him. Zack jumped back as once again the Behemoth rose and brought its feet down on the ground. When the monster had landed Zack ran forward and jumped onto the Behemoth's head. He ran along its shoulders and back and then leapt off from behind. While he was in mid-air, the swordsman twisted his body around and brought his sword down on the monster's hide, cutting another deep gash in its flesh. The Behemoth roared in pain, rearing onto its hind legs again.

Its tail started to thrash. Zack jumped over the tail as it swung past him, and then ducked as it swept past over his head. The third time it came by Zack did not move out of the way in time and was flung across the room.

Zack shook his head as the Behemoth's shadow loomed over him again as the monster loomed above him, while losing blood, it was relentness and ready to take a bite out of him. Zack knew he had to do something quickly, or he'll be the Behemoth's dinner menu. Having an idea, he quickly chanted ice, and the huge ice block materalized above the Behemoth before falling on top of it's head, causing it to roar in agony as it seemed to be weak against ice. Zack then casted blizzaga at it's face, causing it to rear back and gave Zack movement to roll out of the way while quickly picking up the Buster Sword, which he had dropped when he crashed into the wall. While the Behemoth struggled against the drop of it's body tempreture as well as the loss of blood which was finally causing it to lose it's strength, Zack this time drew back his fist. Flames formed around his hand, circling his fist as he chanted Firaga once more. With a triumphant cry Zack thrust out his hand and cast the flames towards the Behemoth.

The fireball struck home. Flames swept over the Behemoth's body and engulfed it in a wall of flame. The monster gave a loud roar of pain and stomped across the ground. Its tail lashed and its body thrashed as it tried to shake off the flames. Too late it saw Zack approaching. The monster tried to draw back, but Zack swung his sword and slashed it across the Behemoth's face. The monster gave one last roar before it slumped, defeated, onto the ground. Without any more resistance, the flames swept over the rest of its body. The Behemoth began to dissolve, burned away by the heat of the flames. When the last traces of its body had disintegrated the flames flickered and died out, leaving only a pile of ash behind. ( **~End Hunter of the Dark~** )

Seeing how he defeated the mutated Behemoth, Zack panted before checking around the room cautionly to make sure there weren't anymore monsters that would appear to attack him or ambush him by surprise. Once he was convinced that the room was now clear, Zack spun his sword and sheathed it behind him, before pulling out one of the healing potions he managed to retrive from a wandering traveller just before he left Gongaga earlier and jugged it down, as well as a exliar to restore his magic stimina. He needed both if he had to face Genesis in a massive battle just within those doors.

Sighing as he turned to face the doors, Zack prepared himself for the final confrontation which he hoped would not only get Genesis back to his senses, but all put an end to all of this madness once and for all.

' _Well, it's now or never._ ' Zack thought to himself.

With that, he entered the doors and into the familiar cave like room. It seemed to be the only place that hasn't been touched in years, not even by nature. The statue he remembered was still broken, the room was still a little dark, and right in the middle of it, was the very man he'd been looking for and as he suspected would be here, the one who was the main reason for the troubles and losses and struggles Zack had to put up with for the last several weeks.

Genesis.

* * *

 **A/N: The final battles as well as possibly the ending of this story are in the next chapter! What will happen to Zack there, only I know but cannot say until that time comes. Sorry that this chapter was a bit shorter, but at least I added a new battle that wasn't in my original version that I haven't posted.**

 **See you real soon!**


	15. CHAPTER 14: Another Truth

**KINGDOM HEARTS: CRISIS CORE.**

 **Author's note: Terribly sorry for the delay of this story. Loss of inspiration despite that I really wanted to finish this. Really difficult, especially with the long battle parts which I'm still terrible at. None the less, here it is. This will also reveal the change from the original Crisis Core's ending that I mentioned about which is also connected to "Kingdom Hearts: Moon Pass Time".**

 **Let's continue on and please remember these notes.**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories, thoughts and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I hold no rights to Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy VII, Pokemon or Sailor Moon.**

* * *

CHAPTER 14: Another Truth.

' _Well, it's now or never._ ' Zack thought to himself.

With that, he entered the doors and into the familiar cave like room. It seemed to be the only place that hasn't been touched in years, not even by nature. The statue he remembered was still broken, the room was still a little dark, and right in the middle of it, was the very man he'd been looking for and as he suspected would be here, the one who was the main reason for the troubles and losses and struggles Zack had to put up with for the last several weeks.

Genesis. He stood in front of the broken statue who had been gazing at it, as though fond of it, before sensing movement behind and turned around, smirking somewhat evilly as he saw the one whom he'd been waiting for all this time. It was time for the final steps for the truth and for the final battle between the two of them.

"I knew you would come." Genesis commented.

"That's because I knew you were here." Zack pointed out, referring to the fact that he finally accepted the fact that he'd been reborn from his previous into who he is now. Despite this, as he thought about it, Zack realised that he was both himself in his previous life, and himself here in his present life. The same person.

Chuckling as though he found the answer amusing, Genesis's smirk then curled into a frown as he declared, "And so, the final test shall be revealed. Who will be a hero today?"

Final test? Hero of the day? What was Genesis talking about?

"What does that mean?" Zack demanded, almost shouting, "Have you lost your mind?" as a gut feeling immediately told him that something was seriously wrong with Genesis...could it be the Darkness?

( **~Howl of the Gathered-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

"Maybe once...but no more! Show me your strength!" Genesis drew out his Crimson Sword, the Rapier, pointing it threateningly at Zack, his eyes pierched and sharp with a strong translation that told the younger man to fight.

Despite that Zack wanted to do something, anything to get this fight out of Genesis' head, the younger man clutched his fists, trying to hold into the urge to scream and yell as he knew that it would only trigger the darkness in his own heart. Still, with no other choice, Zack withdrew the Buster Sword and held it tightly in his grip, pleadingly yelling, "Genesis, don't let the Darkness get to you!"

Extending his wing out once more, Genesis then zipped at Zack, his Crimson Sword at ready. Zack jumped back before barely blocking and dodging the attack even with the Buster Sword. The two met, and their blades clashed. They pushed against each other before separating and then clashing again. Genesis sidestepped, letting Zack pass him by. Pulling back his sword, he channelled Firaga-Materia into the Sword. There was a _whoosh_ and flames swept across the blade. Genesis then turned and thrust out his sword, aiming for Zack's head. Zack tilted his head to the side and dodged the blow. He felt the searing heat of the flames burn across his cheek. With his sword he knocked Genesis Crimson Sword aside and lunged at Genesis, trying to strike him while his guard was down. Genesis was faster, however, and was able to twist his body out of the way. The swordsman turned and nimbly moved behind Zack. With the hilt of his sword he struck Zack on the back of the head, causing him to stagger forwards.

With Zack off-balance, Genesis clenched his fist and summoned Firaga Materiainto his hand. A fireball formed around his fist, and when he punched out the ball flew from his hand and headed for Zack who saw this coming. Thinking quickly, he preformed his own Firaga and thrusted it out with his hand. The two Firaga spells met in the middle, colliding and exploding into a thick smoke with small embers raining down all over the area like rain or snow flakes. Both of them shield their eyes, only for Zack to recover first as he, as Genesis just saw, came running towards him through the dissipating flames. The swordsman swung his sword and Genesis barely had time to raise his weapon before Zack's Buster Sword clashed against his own.

Things were starting to become very serious, as Genesis then flew up into the air to avoid being sliced into pieces by Zack who gazed up and gritted his teeth in irritation and worry. The crimson-haired man in the meantime, crossed the air with his sword to make an "X" mark before thrusting it down towards Zack who barely had enough time to jump out of the way to avoid the said attack. The attack in the meantime, collided onto the ground, creating a massive shockwave that sent Zack flying and crashing onto the hard dirt, skidding to a stop and flinched when small rocks cut into his skin, creating small bleeding wounds, but not enough to not be healed by Curaga. Zack certainly didn't remember this attack in his memories. What Genesis just did now was a new one. He rolled out of the way when Genesis then blasted a powerful Dark Magic that came flying down towards the younger man who counterattacked by thrusting Thunderaga skyward, the electricity magic catching the Former SOLDIER 1st Class off-guard for once.

Zack then twirled his Sword around and around several times to call upon his Tornado Spell before he thrusted it out at Genesis to try and slow down his speed of use of flying. Although it seemed to work as the One-Winged Crimson Angel nearly lost his blanace in flight, he then thrusted out his sword and shockingly sliced it in half, dispelling it and cancelling it's attack, though it did render him to lose his flight for the time being and landed safely on the ground, dismissing his wing for the time being. Having another idea, Zack then summoned Blizzaraga but decided to try another trick, hoping that it would work. He thrusted his fist onto the ground and willed the attack to work the way he wanted it now. Obeying his silent request, a number of icy stalagmites burst out of the ground, heading towards Genesis who saw them coming and leapt further back to avoid being impaled on the rising ice. None the less, he counter attacked again by sending out a massive Purgatorial Wave, thrusting his sword into the ground cut-style, a massive wave of light and darkness not only shattering the ice stalagmites into tiny pieces, but also nearly knocking Zack backwards.

 _That_ attack he remembered, but this was the first time Genesis used this in his human form. Not in his...Giant armor monster form he turned into 8,000 years ago.

Zack stumbled before casting Curaga on himself, before cart-wheeling out of the way which he realise was something he used to do in his previous life, now combined with what he remembered both Aqua and Serenity usually did when they dodged attacks eight years ago. Once Genesis was close, Zack thrusted blunt-side of the Buster Sword which would still do heavy damage and made contact with Genesis's side, causing the olderish man to grunt in pain due to the attack. The two then continued the clash blades. Genesis swung his sword but missed. Zack then ran in and returned the blow with a strike of his own. The Buster Sword scraped against Genesis' as he raised it to defend himself. Zack then chanted Firagaon contact, and the jarring blow sent Genesis staggering back. Wanting to keep Gene sison the defensive, Zack kept moving forward, swinging his sword back and forth. He left Genesis with no openings through which to retaliate, waiting for his chance to land a final blow and end the fight for good.

However, Genesis came prepared and blusted out Flare with a mixture of Shadow Flare, sending Zack flying backwards as he screamed before crashing onto his back on the ground once more. Refusing to give up and refusing to allow Genesis become consumed by darkness, he leaped to his feet before blocking several clashes from Genesis's Sword until finally the younger man managed to shove him back before stabbing the Buster Sword onto the ground and with Genesis's eyes widened, this was the distraction Zack needed. Having used this skill before, Zack then hurled himself up and kicked Genesis squarely in the stomach, sending the crimson-coated man flying backwards and collasping onto the ground hard while Zack landed safely back onto the ground himself, pulling the sword out and stood steady. ( **~End Howl of the Gathered~** )

However, as Zack panted, his eyes widened in horror as Genesis stood up while reclaiming his sword, but as he did, his body began to jerk rather uncontrollably, the tale signs of his facial expressions suggesting that he was struggling against something that was against his will. Soon enough, familiar mists of black and purple began seeping out from his body and Zack's heart froze. Memories of what happened to him was exactly what was happening to Genesis now.

* * *

(Flashback: During the events of Sailor Moon 0-Birth By Sleep)

"Help me..." Zack grunted, pleadingly, starting to lose control of his body again, "You've gotta...set my heart free..."

"Don't worry! We'll save you!" Grovyle told him, standing into a fighting position long with Terra as both of them knew that the only way to save Zack was to fight him so that they can free his heart from Hades's power of darkness while the said lord disappeared into smoke.

* * *

(End of Flashback)

So the darkness in Genesis's heart was starting to overtake him after all, as though it wanted to claim his body as it's own, to become the monster Genesis always believed that he was. However, there were no Keyblade wielders here. Only Zack. Shutting his eyes and coming terms that he was the only one who can end this now, nodded to himself before readying himself for round 2 of the final battle. This time it wasn't a battle of winners and losers. It was a battle of survival and rescue, and Zack was more than willing to try and save Genesis from the darkness, just as Terra and Grovyle had saved him all those years ago.

( **~Those who Accept the Protection of the Stars-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

"Terra saved my life from darkness...now it's my turn." Zack told himself, before calling out to Genesis, "Genesis! I'll save you!"

Not answering and with darkness covering his body, Genesis thrusted out swung his sword but missed. Zack then ran in and returned the blow with a strike of his own. His sword scraped against Genesis' as he raised it to defend himself. Zack thrusted his sword that sent Genesis staggering back. Wanting to keep Genesis on the defensive, Zack kept moving forward, swinging his sword back and forth. That moment soon presented itself. He allowed Genesis a single opening, which the swordsman took advantage of at once. He lunged and thrust out his sword, forcing Zack to move back to avoid being impaled. As he landed he stepped aside and then lunged himself, bringing his sword up towards Genesis' head.

But Genesis was prepared for such an attack. When he saw it coming he ducked and threw himself forward. He rammed his arm into Zack's gut and shoved him back. Then as he straightened, he held out his hand. Flames swathed around him, forming into a ball in his palm. Zack knew what he had to do, however when he saw this. He did not stop to raise his guard but ploughed on through. He ran up to Genesis slammed his hand against his opponent's. Flames shot across his hand. They merged with the flames Genesis had summoned, and thus turned the magic upon its caster. An explosion rocked the chamber, causing the floor to quake and the walls to rattle. Zack braced himself against the explosion and held his ground. Genesis did the same, and with darkness seeping in, it was becoming difficult for Zack, but the latter refused to give in. The aim of the explosion sent both men flying backwards across the room from each other and landed onto the ground hard.

The Crimson man recovered first as he unknowingly extended his wing and flew up towards the ceiling just as Zack jugged down a potion to restore at least 70% of his health before rolling out of the way while Genesis commanded his sword to glow in light and darkness, thrusting it down towards the ground and as Zack remembered, multiple sword replicas appeared across the room, dancing around to make their way towards the younger man who clashed and swiped them away as hard as he could while dodging some of them to avoid in getting impiled or killed by them. Knowing that his magic was running dangerously low, Zack would now have to focus on his wits and swordsman skills if he wanted to win this and end this battle once and for all. Genesis again swung his sword. Several red-hot fireballs leapt from the blade and Zack dove out of the way while having trouble with dodging the multiple sword replicas before deciding that he had to use what magic he had left to save himself from this situation and used his Tornado Ability to stop the replicas.

It worked, but Zack knew, for some reason, his magic in his vains was so low that he didn't know if he had enough to even make a weak Firaga spell before remembering the Elixir potion he bought before having left Gongaga. Dodge-rolling out of the way from a powerful thrust from Genesis's sword, Zack immediately pulled out the bottle from his pockets and jugged down the bitter but luke-warm liquid and felt something tingle in his vains, realising that it was his magic being restored.

Genesis in the meantime, charged straight towards Zack who immediately turned and raised his sword to block the attack, but still his arms jarred when Genesis' Crimson Sword collided with his. He was trying to force Genesis back when his opponent suddenly leapt back of his own accord. Twisting his body around, Genesis tried to strike him from the side. Zack only just responded in time to block the blow, and then had to block again as Genesis struck him again from his other side. Zack stepped back. Genesis's sword skills had improved greatly, due to the darkness, the younger man realised. It was becoming more and more dangerous by the second. Even while he was thinking this, Genesis changed his tactics again and charged Zack from the front. With a yell he brought down his blade and Zack leapt back out of the way, missing it as it slammed into the ground.

Genesis then spun his sword around in front of him, creating his own somewhat Twister Attack that was becoming bigger and bigger until he thrusted it out towards Zack who was caught off-guard and stucked into it, screaming. His opponent in the meantime, surprisingly jumped right into it and prepared to imple Zack with his sword. Despite stuggling to regain his bearings and starting to become dizzy, Zack managed to block the attack the first time, but Genesis, using this to his advantage, used the inside of the Twister's winds as though they were walls, thrusting, kicking and punching Zack all over the place, not leaving him any room to counter attack. A few times, Zack managed to block or avoid this by twisting his body, until something inside his mind told him to use the twister to his own advantage, no matter how dangerous it might be. Not understanding why, but this idea reminded him of something that he realised was in his past.

Mentally nodding, Zack then twisted his body as hard as it could, using the winds of the Twister to his advantage that was becoming easier and easier, and it surprisingly blocked Genesis's attacks as well. The Twister was now starting to become absorbed into Zack's Tornado Ability which was blowing Genesis back harshly to the point where it now caught him off-guard while Zack, freed from the Twister, collasped onto the ground to his knees, panting while the Tornado continued to hit Genesis until the magic faded, causing the Crimson-Coated man to fall towards the ground and collaspe onto his own knees as well. Despite both of them panting heavily in one of the heaviest battles of their lives, neither were willing to give up, but both of them knew that the battle would have to end eventually, or they would both die from exhaustion in a waste of a battle. Both of them standing up and gazing at each other, suddenly Zack noticed something in Genesis eyes; a flicker of black and blue while the darkness was starting to become weaker now, fading in and out from the latter's body.

That was when Zack realised that Genesis was fighting an inner battle, for control of his body. Knowing what to do, Zack readied himself to end this now or never. Genesis, with the darkness attempting to gain complete control, waved his hand, throwing out a fireball that Zack narrowly dodged. Genesis then raised his sword. He swung it, and a trail of glowing green energy was left in its wake. Genesis then started to spin in a circle, swinging the blade around him. A whirlwind of energy formed around his body. Genesis' feet lifted off the floor and the whirlwind moved towards Zack.

Zack acted quickly. He held his blade behind him and then charged at Genesis. When he was within range of the whirlwind he brought his blade forward in an upward arc. The blade sliced through the wind, cleaving it in two. Its energy then turned upon its master, and Genesis gave a yell as he was hit by the blast. His Crimson Sword was thrown from his hand as he flew across the chamber, only to land face down at the foot of the dirt ground. The weapon landed seconds after, skittering across the ground until it came to a stop out of his reach.

As soon as Genesis landed onto the ground himself, Zack give out a yell as he charged towards the defendless and weakened man, the darkness now almost completely gone and leaving him too exhausted. With an almighty swing, just like in his previous life, Zack thrused the Burster Sword out and smacked Genesis back, sending the latter flying backwards. ( **~End** **Those Who Accept the Protection of the Stars~** )

Genesis lost conscious before he even hit the ground, and was struck by a vision like he had the second time he lost the battle against Zack all those years ago...

* * *

( **~Beyond the Door-KH:BBS~** )

 _When he opened his eyes and found himself standing, Genesis gazed around in wonder, finding himself in an unusual but the most beautiful place he'd ever seen. A courtyard of a white Kingdom, surrounded by flowers, a Palace up ahead, the pathway surrounded by crystal clear water. In the sky, was surprisingly a blue and green world to be seen glowing._

 _Sensing someone behind him, Genesis turned, and his eyes widened at the sight of a beautiful young woman, with long blonde hair with pigtails dangling from her hair-two hair-buns on each side of her head, her gentle blue eyes and kind and warm smile, her elegent white dress with golde pearl bracelet, and a cresent moon symbol on her forehead, suggested that she was this kingdom's young Princess._

 _The young woman nodded to him, saying warmly, "Hang in there..." and soon everything around Genesis glowed in warm and bright light. Unlike what he'd first seen before, this time, Genesis accepted it..._

* * *

He collasped onto the ground, unconscious and defeated, the darkness fading away. Genesis was free from the darkness.

Seeing how he actually managed to free Genesis from the darkness though unable to believe it, Zack panted from the exhaustion from one of the biggest battles he ever experinced on his own...at least here in the present. He had done it. He defeated Genesis and saved him from his inner darkness. Now it was a matter of finding a place for Genesis to rest and Zack knew that it wasn't going to be here in this cave. Steathing away his sword and picking up Genesis' fallen one with his left hand, Zack then hoisted the unconscious man's body over his shoulder, gazing back at the broken statue of the Goddess, before making his way out of the chambers.

( **~End Beyond the Door~** )

* * *

Once making it outside and arriving at the ruins of Genesis' childhood home in the previous life, Zack carefully layed the unconscious but thankfully still alive man against a tree, placing the Crimson Sword against the tree next to it's owner before standing up. It was hard to believe that this man, the childhood friend of his best friend in their previous lives, had done so much for Zack to have learned so much and get this far. He thought he'd be happy to have finally learn the truth and solve this crisis once and for all.

But he wasn't. Zack didn't know why, but he wasn't happy. Sure he accepted his past and his present now, but after all he's learned, he knew that it wasn't fully over. That's when he knew why; the Darkness in people's hearts. As long as darkness existed in people's hearts, nothing would ever be in peace for long. There would be more enemies out there somewhere, and Zack knew that it was something people like himself would have to handle in order to protect the Light and the people in many worlds as possible.

Well...at least things aren't like it used to be in the past.

* * *

( **~Keeping the Peace-Dissidia Final Fantasy~** )

A little while later, Zack had went off to find a Dumbapple tree and had returned with two apples, figuring that, after a hard battle like what both had experinced to each other, Genesis would be hungry. After gently resting an apple onto Genesis' lap, Zack held onto his own apple, before declaring, "Okay, let's eat!"

He then gazed down at Genesis, saying apologetically, "Sorry I didn't think about this sooner, but..." before sighing and bit into his apple. The sweetness of the apple's juice filled his mouth and Zack smiled. This brought back the memory of the first time he tried it and that was something he actually liked, and felt guilty to have forgotten about it. He was glad to have remembered it now.

"Remember how good it tastes?" Genesis's voice questioned, making Zack realise that the crimson-coated man had awakened.

"Yeah!" Zack nodded, smiling.

Chuckling softly, Genesis then questioned, no longer being cruel like he had been for several weeks, but seemingly in peace. "8,000 years...is a long time, isn't it?"

Getting what Genesis meant, Zack's expression softened, as he shrugged, "Weird, huh?" before admitting, "To tell the truth, I only really discovered and learned of the rebirth thing from a friend of mine's father." referring to Hercules and Zeus.

"Zeus...the King of all Gods and Goddesses." Genesis correctly guessed.

"Yeah." Zack replied, "And Hades tried to take over Olympus. I met Hercules eight years ago and we've been friends ever since, both dreaming to become heroes, but in his case, it was a matter of reuniting with his family. Me, it was like back in the past, but I really wanted to make myself something." he explained.

"What have you learned?"

The younger man paused for a moment. Now that he thought about it, he learned pretty much a lot on his journey. He found the answers of his dreams, learned of his previous life, learned of lives of many others, the existance of other worlds, the fates of Serenity, Aqua, Terra, Ventus, Jason and Grovyle, the new friends he made who were really friends from his past...

That's when Zack finally realised what was really important to him. His friends were more important than his dream of becoming a hero. And Cloud...he was the most important friend to him, both in his previous life and present-day life. He began to think, that Zack himself has a place within Cloud's heart, just as Cloud, Aerith, Yuffie, Leon, Hercules and everyone else he met in his life all have a place within Zack's heart. Like...like an unbreakable connection. He told Genesis this.

"Cloud needs you." Genesis unexpectly told him. ( **~End Keeping the Peace~** )

"Huh?" Zack blinked.

( **~Final Resolve-Dissidia 012~** )

The older man nodded, telling him, "Go to him, Zack. Even if you can't protect him pyshically, let your heart protect him from the darkness. One day, he too will remember his past. And a young goddness, is set to begin her own journey."

"Aerith?" Zack asked, worriedly as Aerith immediately came into his mind. Sure Aerith was also reborn, but at the moment, she was still unaware of her previous life and her lineage as the last Ancient.

But Genesis shook his head, correcting the younger man, "No. One you met...one who shall travel through time. Her own beginning...she herself...is the key to all memories. Even if she too lost memories and will lose more, the child...shall regain them someday." closing his eyes briefly, concluding, "She is...the true hope, of the Realm of Light. The place and light of Kingdom Hearts."

With that, Genesis sighed and before Zack knew it, the older man had fallen asleep into a deep slumber. A recovering sleep, Zack decided and hoped.

While Zack gazed at Genesis while wondering who else would be starting her own journey...who is also the key to all memories and like Zack and others, the girl had also lost memories and would lose more...and she was a child. Yet she would regain her memories someday, just as Zack had regained most of his. The true hope of the Realm of Light...the place and light of Kingdom Hearts? Who is she, Zack wondered.

The moment Zack closed his eyes to think, immediately an image from his present day memories hit him and filled his mind. Inside his mind, the image of the teenage girl he met in one of the worlds he visited, Serena who in his mind, twirled around to smile at him, as she gave him a peace-sign while giggling happily. However, the moment she did, Serena's outfit immediately changed to that of Serenity's Sailor Warrior outfit, almost exactly the same, but with differences. Instead of white boots with red on top, the colours swapped to reveal red boots with white on top, her locket in her chest bow was more plain and pink in colour and the four coloured jewels were within the locket instead of outside it, the star outside of the cresent shaped moon and pink jewel in the middle, the jewel in the middle of her golden tiara ruby red instead of violet, her bun jewels ruby red with white surrounding it on the outside, and Serena's new uniform also lacked a mask and lacked the pearls on her head.

None the less, Serena in her new Sailor Attire was exactly the same. And still, she was smiling at him...

Immediately, Zack's eyes snapped open as he softly gasped. Serena...the innocent girl who resembled to Serenity...she was the key to everything? Remembering what Yen Sid had told him about Serenity's fake idenity as 'Sailor Moon', and what Luna had told him about finding a Sailor Warrior to solve the problems in her world...that's when Zack managed to conclude the truth.

Gazing up at the sky, Zack couldn't help but scream out in both horror and anger, "Serena is the real Sailor Moon!?" his exclaimation echoing throughout the ruins of Banora, as though he wanted Luna to hear him, but he knew that she wouldn't.

While this Time-Travelling thing was still new to him, Zack suddenly realised that it made sense. Serena would become the real Sailor Moon soon, and eventually she would travel back in time...to his past of his previous life at some point. Yet...those memories were still missing and now he knew why; Serena is the one to help everyone those reborn to get their memories back, by first losing some of her own before regaining them herself. Her journey would begin similiar to what Zack and Cloud had both gone through-

And then Aerith would also learn of her past eventually herself. Zack shuddered, before sighing. While he was now desperate to see her, he knew that Cloud and Tifa, both of them still in Edge, needed him more. Right now, both of them needed to be protected from Sephiroth and the darkness.

Knowing what he had to do next, even though something inside him told him that he wouldn't make it that far, and that something bad was going to happen to him, Zack muttered, as though sending a message to the flower girl that he'd come to love, "Aerith...give me a little more time, okay? I'll come back to you."

He then gazed to where he had come from, and decided to make his journey on foot instead of the Starshard, before muttering again, this time to his younger best friend, "Cloud, hang in there."

With this in mind, Zack gave a final nod to Genesis, before walking away to journey back to Midgar and Edge to make sure Cloud was alright. Plus, he also had to apologise to the Turks for running off like this, but he didn't have a choice.

But this would only the path to Zack's ultimate fate. ( **~End Final Resolve~** )

* * *

(Genesis's Unconscious Memory)

( **~Organization XIII-KH2~** )

 _Later that night after Zack left with Cloud in tow, Genesis remained unconscious for hours from where he was left. He was though subconsciously aware of a ShinRa helicopter descending from the sky and land, the repeallers still whirling around and the side doors opened to reveal two men, seemingly SOLDIER, but with symbols very different to others, step out and approach the unconscious Rouge SOLDIER._

 _One of them had white hair and pierched eyes that screamed evil and danger. The other one, a little bit younger, had black smooth hair and black eyes that also screamed evil and danger. Both men gazed down at Genesis's sleeping form._

 _"This must be an important matter if they're sending the two of us." The black-haired one commented as he gazed at his companion._

 _The white haired one 'hmph'ed, before stating as he scooped up Genesis in his arms, carrying him Snow-White style, "Apparently the subject will become our new brother."_

 _"Is that so?" The black haired one questioned, before asking, with a little bit of doubt, "But will he...accept his fate willingly?"_

 _Only rechieving a shrug in return as the white-haired man said, "We will see what happens. After all...no one can predict the future or alter the course of time...unless one is a sorceress like Edea."_

 _"So you think Edea may be a threat to this?" The black-haired one asked as he and his 'brother' walked back towards the Chopper, with Genesis carried._

 _"Let Galbadian Garden be the problem to others. Especially to this so called Timber Owls." The white-haired one smirked, "I hear that one of it's leaders is the daughter of Galbadian's General."_

 _"So the Sorceress War is not truly over. Very interesting." The black-haired one chuckled, as when he closed the doors and silently signaled the pilot to take off, he, his companion and the unconscious Genesis took off in the helicopter, back towards the ShinRa building._

 _Where more than just one new beginning were about to occure..._

 _As the Helicopter left, a piece of paper, blew onto the empty chair where Cloud had sat unconsciously, the cords of the Lifestream reached onto it, and somehow, writing more words onto the empty piece..._

 _"_ _ **Even if the Morrow is barren of promises, Nothing shall forestall my return. To become the dew that quenches the land, To spare the sands, the seas, the skies, I offer thee this silent Sacrifice.**_ _" Genesis' voice spoke, as a single black feather fluttered across the bottom of it, leaving one word. "LOVELESS"._

* * *

Having seen this memory in his own sleep, Genesis slowly blinked his eyes open until his vison cleared. Strangely enough, he could've sworn he'd just seen cords of the Lifestream disappear after they spread onto his body. The moment he thought of this, he found, to his slight surprise, that his strength was back.

Perhaps it was this memory alone that helped him regain his energy. He knew now how it came to his 8,000 year slumber. He never told Zack that he wasn't reborn, nor told him that, when he'd awoken by those two men, he refused their offer to join them and their own secret Organization, another one of ShinRa's dark secrets, he found a place underneath Midgar and slept a seemingly never-ending sleep, even during the great war the split the worlds into what is known today.

Remebering his parting words to Zack who is obviously not here anymore, Genesis slowly stood up, taking hold of his Crimson Sword. His task was done. Now he had a new task and he promised himself to make sure it would succeed.

Indeed, the silent Sacrifice...the darkness stands no chance, no matter how many times it tries to destroy Kingdom Hearts. He said this to himself.

With this in mind, Genesis once again extended his black single wing, and took flight into the sky, leaving his childhood home behind and set out on his new quest, not knowing that it would end in a twisted turn that would leave him to wait at least three years to meet the chosened key of the Realm of Light. ( **~End Organization XIII~** )

* * *

( **~The Clandestine Dark Suits/Turks-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

When word spread out that Zack, Cloud and Tifa had escaped the Ward from Edge's Hospital, and that ShinRa's current enemies were on alert once more, the Turks and Rufus feared that the three of them would get caught into their own battle against the powerful Organization against ShinRa. Rufus refused to allow this to happen, and ordered the Turks to go and find them in seperate teams.

On the helipad of the ShinRa building in Edge, a Helicopter waited, powered up and ready to take off. Elena was going to find the missing trio and made to approach it when her name was called by one of her superiors. The young woman paused to turn and see Tseng approach her before he stopped half-way.

"The enemy's gathering." The Wutaiian Turk informed the rookie. "Find the targets before they do." He ordered her.

"Yes, sir. The enemy won't reach them." Elena promised, turning to leave, but stopped again by Tseng's voice once more.

"I want them alive. You hear me?" Tseng told her firmly. When met with a moment of silence, he continued, a bit more softly with a tone of request and urgent, "You're going to save their lives."

Elena turned to face Tseng again, with an understanding and soft smile, "Understood." before her smile curled into a worried frown, as she whispered to herself, "I haven't even met Cloud or Tifa." before turning and headed towards the helicopter once more.

As he watched her leave, Tseng's expression softened into sadness and worry as well, thinking about the situation of Zack, coming to terms that, in their previous life, they'd been friends. Not to mention that, when he searched through the old ShinRa building in the Midgar ruins, he found something that he had to give to the former young SOLDIER.

"Help them, Elena." Tseng whispered. "I've found letters for Zack...88 of them." knowing who they came from and felt the guilt for failing to have given them to Zack 8,000 years ago. Now he feared that history was about to repeat itself, if not worse.

Despite this, it would be apparent that while it wasn't as bad as Tseng had thought...it would still lead to a tragic results that would have to wait for a long time once more. And with their enemies growing stronger than ever, who knew what would happen. ( **~End The Clandestine Dark Suits/Turks~** )

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's Dreams/Memories)

 _Fragment 61: Zack had managed to hitch a ride with a nice old guy in a truck who was on his way to Midgar after nearly an entire year of walking on foot since he left Banora. Now the young former SOLDIER and Cloud were riding in the back of the moving vehicle and Cloud was still stuck in a coma, though there were tail signs that Zack caught on. Like the younger man's eyes flickering ever so slightly, and his mouth twitching for the last few weeks. This meant that Cloud's recovery was finally improving. Not to mention that it gave him relief that Hojo had been wrong about Cloud._

 _After a while, Zack had been talking about starting up a mercenary job once they reached Midgar, before teasingly asked Cloud what he would do once they reached it. He then smiled and turned to the unconscious blonde-spiky haired man, saying, "I'm just kidding. You know I wouldn't do that to you."_

 _As usual, Cloud didn't respond, but for a brief moment, Zack thought he saw the younger man's eyes flicker again, and he smiled. "We're friends, right?"_

* * *

A jolt from the ride Zack had hitched on awoke him from his light doze since he had decided to use the Starshard for as far as just outside of Kalm since he remembered that it took a year to get from Banora to Midgar, Zack had caught a lucky break and was now riding on a green and black truck which was making it's way to Edge.

Zack didn't realise that he had dozed off, but found that he wasn't disturbed by it. Instead, it gave him a much needed rest and recalled the memory he'd seen in his dream. He gazed up at the sky and thought about Cloud. After all, the two of them were friends.

Come to think of it, Zack was beginning to regard Cloud as a younger brother he never had, both in his previous life and in his present-day life. Then again, who says all brothers had to be related by blood, right?

* * *

( **~Moonlight Wandering-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

Meanwhile, high up in the sky and flying over the former wastelands that had regained it's greenery eons ago, a ShinRa Helicopter flew past the rocky and tree-fern giant rocks in the outskirts of the Midgar Ruins and Edge. Reno and Rude, both of them alone and together, under orders by Rufus were searching far and wide for Zack, Cloud and Tifa...so far, they found nothing.

"They can't be serious." Reno sighed with a hint of whining, yet his eyes serious as they gazed at the scenery before him and his partner, "There's no way we're gonna find three needles in a haystack this size."

Rude looked over to his younger friend, telling him, "There's no mission that's impossible for the-"

"Turks, yeah yeah." Reno finished, not needing to be reminded as he heard the famous line millions of times before. That line was not only used by the Turks here in the present, but as now they began to remember their previous lives, it was also used by the Turks back in the past all those years ago.

Seeing how Reno didn't need to be reminded, Rude sighed, before muttering as he continued to his partner, "Hmm...Also, Tseng apprently has something to give him."

Reno quirked an eyebrow, correctly guessing in confusion, "Who, the target?" referring to Zack. When Rude nodded to confirm the redhead's question, Reno gazed ahead once more, before turning to his best friend, asking jokingly, "So we're couriers now? Delivering packages to almost-fugitives, huh?" giving out a small chuckle with a small smirk, gazing ahead once more to focus on piloting the chopper.

"This is the same way we talked about when we failed to find them before." Rude commented after a long pause.

"What do you mean?" Reno asked as he gazed at his partner again, his expression turning to confused curiosity. Though the moment it escaped his lips, Reno couldn't help but sense in his mind that another memory was lingering towards him, as though trying to tell him that he knew exactly at Rude meant.

"When the army got to them first." Was the answer.

Softly gasping as the memory instantly hit him by those words, Reno sighed before gazing ahead of him again, now remembering piece by piece as he replied, "Yeah, but, Cloud managed to get away, and Zack suddenly disappeared."

He then frowned in concern, as one of the most important pieces of his memory seemed rather foggy. In his mind, Reno could picture a young girl, no older than fourteen going onto fifteen, a humanoid but surprisingly very friendly mouse at the height of a two year old toddler, and a large strange lizard, about the height of an eight year old kid. The latter two were capable of human language and emotions and very easy to talk to.

"I think it has something do to with...a girl with long hair, with a mutated mouse or something, and a kid-sized lizard." Reno spoke after those images came into his mind, before adding as somehow a voice entered his ears, "I mean, I remember Sailor Moon's name, but I can't pin-point on who she looks like. All I figured out is, that she was with Cloud and some other kid who was a SeeD of Balamb Garden."

Hearing this also triggered something in Rude's memories, before beginning to suggest, "Perhaps the girl with the long hair-"

"Is Sailor Moon?" Reno finished. At his friend's nod, the redhead smirked a little, "Who've thunk?" before asking as the smirk faded all together, "But, where is she? Is she even born yet?"

"We'll just have to wait and see." Rude told him, adding, "Until then, let's concentrate on finding the targets."

Even though Reno was thinking that maybe the reason why Sailor Moon had time-travelled or will be time-travelling in the near future was because she knew about the rebirth thing yet it still left more questions to why, he knew that the answer wouldn't come anytime soon. With a sigh, he eventually agreed, "I guess you're right."

The moment he said that, the headsets the two men were wearing crackled to life, indicating that they had an important transmission from one of their own. They listened in as Elena's voice reached into their headsets and into their ears, " _Reno, Rude. Statis?_ "

"We got nothin'." Reno replied to the rookie through the mouth-piece of his headset.

"You?" Rude interjected.

" _Likewise_." Elena replied disappointedly, before saying, " _I'm gonna head for point 235. You guys take Point 120._ "

"Roger." Rude answered back.

"All right." Reno pulled the helicopter about to head in the direction Elena had indicated. "Let's get going," He finished, adding to himself, "We better hurry."

But as Reno turned the helicopter into the direction, had he waited for a second longer, he would've found at least one of the targets and would have also noticed that the enemy, who had suspected that ShinRa was up to something, was there to take care of business themselves. ( **~End** **Moonlight Wandering~** )

Unfortunately, he did not. Thus has doomed one of them to their fate unwillingly.

* * *

The moment Zack had heard the sounds of the helicopter, he instantly knew that the bad feeling that crept into his gut wouldn't go away. Not to mention that he didn't want to get the guy in the truck involved. So as soon as he asked the guy to stop, Zack got off the truck and waited while the driver drove off with a wave and a wording of being careful.

No sooner had the driver left, Zack was left on his own, just outside of Midgar and sighed before taking a seat behind the rock. This place...it was a powerful feeling that crept inside him and told him that, no matter how painful, it wanted him to remember. Instead of fighting it, Zack leaned back against the rock after taking a seat on the ground and closed his eyes and this time...he allowed the memories to take over his mind.

* * *

(Fragments from Zack's Dreams/Memories)

 _Fragment 62: The moment he heard gunshots, Zack had covered Cloud to protect him before telling the driver to park them by the rocks. As soon as this was done, Zack climbed out with Cloud in tow, before resting the younger man against the rocks. He had a bad feeling that, with ShinRa somehow knowing that he'd been coming, this would be the last time he'd see his friend. Zack knew, though, he couldn't let them capture him again._

 _Okay, so he wouldn't be able to live to see his 24th birthday, Zack decided that it was better this way. Chuckling, he playfully ruffled Cloud's hair, in an form of an affection of a fond goodbye. Zack's heart ached by this, but maybe there was a chance he could live through this. He doubt it, but he wasn't willing to die easily._

 _With a final look to his younger friend, Zack stood up, and boldy approached towards his final battle, unaware that Cloud had finally regained conscious and little strength to hold out a hand, reaching out towards Zack's retreating form._

 _The moment Zack came face the face with hundreds of men, sent to kill him, he remained calm. As though this was a casual day, all he did was place his hands onto his hips and shook his head, muttering, "Boy oh boy. The price of freedom is steep."_

 _This would be his final battle._

( **~The Other Promise-KH2 Final Mix~** )

 _Fragment 63: While Zack had been fighting the 100 Infreymen Soldiers, armed with both machine guns and broadswords, memories of his friends and loved ones had entered his mind as he fought on. It brought tears into his eyes, but he refused to back down. He managed to successfully take down all but three and even a pilot in the remaining helicopter. But by now, he'd become far too exhausted, and blood was seeping from his wounds._

 _His heart pounded in his ears, and Zack knew that this was it. The end._

 _Or so he thought._

 _The moment one of the three soldiers aimed his gun to deliver the final blow that would end his life, he, the other two soldiers, and even Zack himself were stunned and surprised that just from the corner of Zack's left, a teenaged girl with long blonde hair and strange white, blue and red clothing came leaping out and pushed Zack out of the way from the firing, both of them falling onto the hard dirt ground. The moment he hit the ground, Zack's vision swam, but still clear enough for him to see the girl over him, protecting him with her body._

 _Zack also saw what appeared to be...a toddler sized humanoid mouse with big black round ears, wearing white gloves, red shorts, yellow shoes, and was wielding some kind of starry sword that was also shaped like a key, with a keychain with a cresent moon. The mouse casted magic onto the soldiers as well as spreading it into the helicopter, where the ShinRa men then dropped to the ground. Asleep, Zack realised. The mouse had casted a sleeping spell._

 _"Are you alright?" The girl's voice broke Zack back into reality. Gazing up at her, his eyes met her young blue ones, and she seemed really scared and concerned. She must've noticed his gunshot wounds. It also surprised him that she looked no older than fourteen years old._

 _"Ugh..." Zack groaned, "Who...?"_

 _"Don't worry, you're gonna fine." The girl told him softly, just as her companion rushed over, before he held up his weapon, and green light came out from it._

 _Zack then felt the familiar cure spell spread onto him, his wounds closing and healing, his strength returning to 80% health. He still felt tired, though, but was unable to believe his luck. He was so certain that he was about to die. Who would've thought that he'd be saved by a teenaged girl and a mouse who seemed more human than anything else._

 _The mouse sighed in relief while wiping sweat from his forehead, his white eyes with black pupils showing signs of relief, "Phew! Sure glad we made it in time. Ha-ha! I was worried we wouldn't get to ya."_

 _Zack was about to say something, when he then heard soft growling and shifted his eyes which widened as three Guard-Hounds approached, causing him to shout a warning at his two saviors, "Watch out!"_

 _The two companions instantly turned to what he was staring at and their eyes widened in shock and disbelief at the monsterous dogs that appeared to attack them and stood up immediately. While the mouse held a tight grip on the keysword weapon, the girl unconsciously had light form in her right hand and to everyone else's shock, a sword somehow materialized in her hand. It was a bright silver sword with a gold hilt with a cresent symbol in the middle, and near the tip of the blade was a gold latch or something on it._

 _"Holy..." Zack whispered in awe._

 _Even the teenaged girl was shocked and uncertain. "Huh? How...?"_

 _"You think you can handle these things?" The mouse asked, having decided to worry about questioning about the sword later, as he knew that they had other and more important things to worry about, like the dogs that threatened to kill them._

 _"Uh..." The teenaged girl sweatdropped before answering, "I think so."_

 _The moment one of the Guard Hounds pounced to lunge at the girl and the mouse, suddenly a ball of green energy light that looked like a ball of the Lifestream appeared out of nowhere and hit the mutt in a small explosion, causing to howl in pain before it collasped to the ground, dead. The girl, the mouse and Zack's eyes widened, and to their further confusion and shock, a child-sized blue-ish green lizard with a pink belly, a leaf on top of it's head, and three leaves each on his arms, two leaves as tails, yellow eyes with black pupils, and two-fingered claws appeared out of nowhere from the right, glaring at the remaining Guard Hounds who growled dangerously at the newcommer who had a serious expression._

 _"There's no time! We must fight!" The lizard told the two young fighters before they could say anything._

 _"Who're you? The girl asked, surprised._

 _"C'mon, Sailor Moon!" The mouse told his friend, "Like that fella said, there's no time!"_

 _While Zack wondered what kind of name 'Sailor Moon' is, the girl, identified as Sailor Moon, stumbled a bit before holding a tight grip on her new weapon, saying to her friend, "Uh, right, Mickey!"_

 _Sailor Moon, the mouse whom is named Mickey, and the lizard stood in line side by side, facing the Guard Hounds. After a moment, the lizard then answered Sailor Moon's earlier question, "You can call me, Loran."_

 _While both Sailor Moon and Mickey accepted the name, Zack, not wanting to get them hurt, slowly stood and took hold of the Buster Sword to help them fight, but was surprised when Sailor Moon sensed this and turned her face slightly to face him, shaking as she told him with a gentle smile, "You're hurt. So let the three of us handle these ugly mutts." winking._

 _"Uh...okay...?" Zack replied, uneasily._

 _Nodding in return, Sailor Moon turned back to face the Guard Hounds, as Mickey told her and Loran, "Let's get 'em!"_

 _"Right!" Sailor Moon and Loran both agreed._

( **~End The Other Promise~** )

 _Fragment 64: Despite the worry for the new trio who had saved his life, Zack was relieved that Sailor Moon, Mickey and Loran had successfully defeated the Guard Hounds. Maybe they can handled themselves after all._

 _When things had settled down and Zack, having began to recover enough to approach them without slugging, approached the trio, Loran gazed at the Guard Hounds before saying, mostly to himself, "So it seems the situation is more complicated than I thought originally."_

 _"Say what? What are you talking about?" Sailor Moon asked, just as confused as Zack and Mickey both felt._

 _Instead of answering the question, Loran turned to gaze at both Sailor Moon and Mickey, who had dismissed their weapons(again to Zack's surprise), questioning the two younger warriors, "Tell me. Are you two sent here on a mission?"_

 _"On a mission?" Mickey repeated, very puzzled._

 _An awkward moment of pause followed. Eventually, Loran sighed, disappointed, "Just as I thought. I have no business with either of you." turning to leave, but stopped at Sailor Moon's voice as the teenaged girl quickly became very annoyed._

 _"Excuse me, who do you think you are saying that, even after you came to help us out and without us giving you our thanks?" Sailor Moon asked in annoyance. As far as she was concerned, it was very rude of Loran to have spoke to her, Mickey and Zack like that._

 _"You humans are all the same," Loran shrugged to Sailor Moon and Zack, before gazing at Mickey while adding ,"And I am not sure about you, little one."_

 _Without waiting for a response, Loran nodded his head, concluding, "I bid you farewell for now." before turning again and walked off, disappearing around the corner._

 _The three of them just stood there in brief silence, until Zack asked, skeptically, "What's with that guy?"_

 _"Not a clue, but I think he should learn some manners." Sailor Moon pouted while crossing her arms._

 _"Aw, don't be too hard." Mickey told them, shrugging as he pointed out, "I'm sure he just doesn't understand that you humans are more different than other species know. Gosh, I should know, because I was mentored by one a while ago, and he's such a great teacher and a good friend."_

 _"Guess that's true enough." Sailor Moon replied, smiling a little as her expression softened, gazing at Mickey._

 _Zack, remembering how not all people were that good, couldn't help but state since he didn't want either Sailor Moon or Mickey to get involved with ShinRa, knowing that Hojo would most definately want to do horrible experiments on these two if he ever saw them, "In some cases, some people use other people as experiments, and leave them to die."_

 _"What!?" Sailor Moon and Mickey both exclaimed in shock and horror, turning to face the man whom they had saved._

 _"How can anyone do that!?" Sailor Moon protested, as though she never knew that there were such cruel and horrible people like that in real life. "It's already horrible enough that mad scientests use poor other species as experiments and I've known a little bit about that, and I hate it."_

 _"Maybe you're right, but even so, everybody's different." Mickey pointed out, though he was more than a little dismayed by the news he was hearing. "Still, I agree with ya's. Scientests using living beings including your own kind is very wrong and not nice."_

 _Zack was about to say something when suddenly he remembered someone very important he thought he would never see again and now had been given the chance to do so. He gasped which confused the other two, before realising, "Cloud!"_

 _"Um...cloud?" Sailor Moon muttered, confused before she gazed up at the dark clouded sky, not realising that Zack was talking about a friend who's name is Cloud._

 _"Hey, sorry to run off like this and I know it's rude, but I've gotta go check up on my friend." Zack quickly and apologetically said to the two before holding a tight grip on the Buster Sword before moving past both Sailor Moon and Mickey, pausing to gaze back at them, saying for the final time, "Thanks for saving me anyway." leaving the two of them in confusion._

 _As soon as Zack returned to where he left Cloud, to his surprise and great relief, the younger man's eyes were open, and had actually managed to gaze up at him, a little scared but also very relief. In relief himself, Zack crouched down to him and asked hurriedly, "You okay?"_

 _"Y-Yeah..." Cloud spoke, for the first time in five years. Somehow remembering his friend leaving, he gazed up and muttered his friend's name._

 _"I'm okay, don't worry." Zack smiled, ruffling the younger man's hair gently and playfully. Maybe they could both get to Midgar together after all. Had Sailor Moon and Mickey not come to the rescue, Zack was certain that he would've been dead by now._

 _Unfortunately, fate still had another thing in store for him to separate him from Cloud anyway._

* * *

 **A/N: The memory sequence continues in the next chapter as well as the last two battles as well as very possibly the ending of this story, which leads into a major shocker. The original ending of the Original game broke my heart that I couldn't let it happen to him here. But, ya' know. Don't expect this story to have a happy ending, but it'll not be as tragic.**

 **I'll see you in the next chapter as soon as I'm able.**


	16. CHAPTER 15: Final Battles

**Author's note: Again, sorry for the delay. We are very close to the ending now, and I think this is the last chapter before the Epilogue and Secret Ending. Let's get to it! Caution: The ending of this chapter will give out spoilers to the scenes of "Sailor Moon: Spirits Within" and "Sailor Moon: Calling", while also giving out spoilers to the final parts of "Kingdom Hearts: Moon Pass Time" and references of "Sailor Moon: Advent Children".**

 **Let's continue on and please remember these notes.**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories, thoughts and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I hold no rights to Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy VII, Pokemon or Sailor Moon.**

* * *

CHAPTER 15: Final Battles.

 _Continuing from Fragment 64: A soon as Zack answered that he was fine and ensured Cloud who was finally coming out of his Mako Poisoning, the moment of relief was unfortunately cut off when Cloud, still dulled but now awake enough to become alert, widened his eyes in shock which caused Zack to immediately whirl around when he sensed someone was behind them at the same time. Behind him stood an unfamiliar woman in full black, sorcereress like clothes, and was smiling evilly at the two of them._

 _"Who are you?" Zack demanded, using his entire body to shield Cloud. He wasn't going to let anything happen to his friend. Suddenly the feeling of not being able to be with Cloud anymore re-enforced into his heart and just then he knew, if this woman was as bad as he thought she was, he had to take drastic actions._

 _Instead of answering, the woman instead told him firmly, "You were meant to die...Allow me to make it up to you!"_

 _Before Zack knew it, the woman thrusted out her hand with some kind of dark magic that wasn't Materia, and the instant she did, he felt the ground underneat them feel strange. Gasping softly, he looked to see some kind of dark energy hole appearing, and his heart skipped a beat in horror. He glared up at the woman only to see her vanish without a trace. He then heard Cloud gasp in shock, which caused Zack to turn to see that the dark energy was spreading to his friend._

( **~Final Resolve-Dissidia 012~** )

 _Knowing there was only one thing to do, and with a heavy heart, with his life flashing before his eyes, Zack quickly unsheathed his sword before grabbing Cloud and pushed him three feet away from the black energy. Zack made to follow, but it was already too late. Yelling out in alarm, he felt the dark energy slowly pull him in, leaving him unable to free himself. The only thing he could do was grip the dirt ground's edge of the portal, just enough to at least say his final farewell to his friend, who, pushing himself up weakly, could only stare in horror._

 _"I guess...this is goodbye." Zack muttered with a sad smile._

 _"Goodbye?" Cloud repeated, horrified. This couldn't be happening. He had so much to ask and he beginning to feel lost, not to mention confused. Cloud had no idea how long it's been since...the last thing he remembered as...facing Sephiroth who burn't down Nibelhiem._

 _Zack nodded, "That's right..." nearly slipping before managing to save himself briefly, but knew that, he was slowly becoming engulfed by the Sorceress's dark magic. His time was running out. "...You're gonna...live. You'll be...my living Legacy."_

 _Then he saw the Buster Sword just inches near him. Deciding to do what Angeal had done to him all those years ago when his mentor had died, Zack gripped the hilt of the sword and held it to a horrified, stunned, sorrowed and confused Cloud, as the older man continued, "My Honor, My Dreams,..."_

 _Zack shedded tears as he was almost fully swallowed up by the dark portal, concluding to Cloud, "They're yours now."_

 _Cloud, realising that Zack had sacrificed himself to save him and wanted him to continue the latter's dreams, and was giving up his sword...to him. With hesitation, Cloud gently grasped the hilt of the massive Sword, the same sword he briefly used to defeat Sephiroth, the same sword that had been surprisingly light, and held onto the hilt with both hands as Zack lets go._

 _"I'm...your living legacy." Cloud realised._

 _With a final nod to confirm it, Zack finally lost his grip and just as Cloud quickly made to grab his hand to desperately try and save him...it was too late. Zack had been completely engulfed by the Sorceress' dark portal which then vanished, returning the ground back to normal. Cloud, unable to believe what just happened, not wanting to believe that Zack, the best and only friend he ever had, the SOLDIER 1st Class who supported him, befriended him, somewhat mentored him, saved him from whatever nightmares Cloud could not remember...was just gone. The only thing left of his friend now...was his sword._

 _As it began to rain, Cloud, with the combinations of the experiments he did not know of just yet, the utter confusion of memories, and the shock and horror of the untimely demise of his best friend, gazed up at the sky and could only give out an agonized scream._

 _Fragment 65: Everything else that happened after that was somewhat fast forward but still clear; Zack had found himself within a cave in the Northern Crater, unable to escape. He tried for several days and weeks, but was held back. He also discovered that Sephiroth was responsible, and had been alive, just waiting. Zack had no idea what was going on, but eventually, he began to sense what was happening to the world in his absence._

 _Finally, just when the entire world, the world of Kingdom Hearts, which was shaped like a Heart-shaped Moon within the Planet, Cloud, along with Sailor Moon, Mickey and Loran, and Tifa, a grown up teenaged Yuffie, along with new allies in a gun-armed man, a former engineer, Aerith, a robot Cat riding on a robot-giant Moogle, and a mysterious Ex-Turk in a red cape arrived for the final battle against Sephiroth and Jenova._

 _Zack did not know what had happened, but when they arrived, it was his exit point. He successfully broke free with a broadsword he found from a dead soldier and managed to free everyone from Sephiroth's grasp, before joining Cloud's new group to defeat the rouge mutated SOLDIER General once and for all. After that, Zack had been told what was happening and that, given Aerith's White Materia Magic of Holy, it was to be enough to stop the Black Materia Magic of Meteor that would threatening to destroy the world after ShinRa failed to stop him._

 _After the small reunion, everyone made it out just in time only for Holy to do the opposite effect. Just when all hope seemed lost, the planet itself took it upon itself to use the Lifestream to aid Holy and destroy Meteor once and for all, but not without accidently hitting the airship, Highwind, and caused Aerith to fall. Zack attempted to rescue her, but he could only hold onto her and delay their end as Loran also fell. Holding onto the railing, the three of them could only gaze with sad smiles at their horrified friends, knowing that there wouldn't be a thing to save the three of them._

 _After Zack, Aerith and Loran gave their final goodbyes to Cloud, Sailor Moon, Mickey and everyone else, they lost their grip and the last thing Zack remembered as losing consciousness just as he fell into the Lifestream along with Aerith by his side to their deaths._

* * *

A loud gunshot awoke Zack from his sleep as he had witnessed what he quickly assumed was his final memories. Now he remembered; He had died after the original world had been saved. Though he didn't have time to think as more gunshots were heard, and he managed to duck just in time to avoid gunshots from hitting his head full of holes. When he took a quick glance, a large number of men in unusual uniforms with machine guns stood close by, heavily armed and appeared to have been marching their way towards Midgar, and most likely, Edge.

That's when Zack quickly realised that, given his clothes, and seeing how they were not ShinRa, and did not look friendly either, thought that he was SOLDIER 1st Class. Given the number, and sighing as he knew...no one would save him this time, finally came to accept that history for him was repeating itself, only this time...his journey would end here. But he was not afraid. He was not a coward. He was a swordsman who faced dangerous trials throughout most of his life. If he had to die today, he would die fighting.

( **~End Final Resolve~** )

' _Cloud...Sailor Moon...the rest is up to you now._ ' Zack thought to himself. He hated to have Cloud face Sephiroth again, and hated even more to leave Sailor Moon to solve many mysteries in her future trials, but there was no other choice.

With these thoughts in mind, Zack stood up, placing his sword behind his back, and boldly made his way towards the last battle of his life. As he approached, hundreds of men in dark grey and black uniforms, with unusual symbols with badges on their left shoulders that read "Militas Ultra", all held out their rifles, machine guns and sword, standing steady to fight the foolish lone 'SOLDIER 1st Class' that was attempting to be a hero to save their enemies.

Zack stood a good ten feet away from them, pausing as he eyed them calmly. Placing his hands onto his hips, he shook his head and muttered in exasperation, as though this was a casual day, "Boy oh boy. I guess ShinRa must've been pretty busy."

Whoever these guys were, they looked pretty tough and far too many for Zack to take down without fatal wounds, but he wasn't backing down. Plus, this might help ShinRa to get a break without having to worry about a siege. So, determined to take these losers down, Zack calmly unsheathed his sword and held it in front of him, the same way he did when he faced the ShinRa's army in his previous life.

"Embrace your dreams...and, whatever happens..." Zack told himself.

( **~L'Oscurità dell'Ignoto-KH:DDD~** )

He paused before continuing, with stronger determination, "...Protect your honor, as SOLDIER!" before racing towards them, shouting to challenging all of them, " _Come and get it!_ "

Before the first three in the large first row of the Militas Ultra men could even fire shots at Zack, the young swordsman immediately went into a full Tornado-Strike, spinning around twice and critically slicing the men's chests with the Buster Sword, killing them instantly and then the full out battle was on. Soon all of them, under the leader of the army's command to fire, shot out gunshots at Zack who either blocked them with the Buster Sword or dodge-rolled out of the way, surprisingly too fast for most of them.

"Take that!" Zack yelled, single-handedly slashing at another one just as he made to attack Zack, only to fall to his death.

A heavy-armored soldier then thrusted out with a heavily armed machine-gun, firing rapidly-fast gunshots which Zack rolled and dodged out of the way, before thrusting his sword behind the enemy, then preformed a powerful double spin attack, hitting armored man twice who, stunned and horrified for having been defeated by a single SOLDIER, then collasped face first onto the ground, before Zack was punched in the back by another shodler which resulted in being sent to the ground.

Leaping back to his feet, Zack then rolled out of the way again, and then, finding an opening on the five other soldiers' backs since he figured out that was the weak point, he slashed at it incredibly hard before they too met their fate of death. Zack then felt impact above him, before leaping out of the way again, then fired an ice-spell which froze a soldier that jumped and made to attack, only to be finished off when Zack did an upper-cut with his sword with one hand. He then flared up his left arm and summoned a fire-spell, blasting three large balls of fire at six soldiers who attempted to rush at him only to be burn't to death before they even reached halfway.

However, four gunshots did hit Zack on the arm before he was forced to leap out of the way and quickly used Curaga despite his wounds still slightly bleeding, but he wasn't going to focus on that. He was focusing on the battle. When five more came running towards him, Zack readied his sword and charged, jumping and striked at them upwards, downwards, left, right, corner-right down, corner-left down, corner-right up, and corner-left down, yelling, "Here we go! Go! Go! Go!" and finished off with a final single line strike, killing his enemies who, like their comrades, suffered the same fate.

Still, fifteen more raced towards him with battle yells, not willing to lose against a single soldier who was doing heavy damage on their comrades. Zack jumped out of the way and blocked most of the attempts before dodge-rolling. He then thrusted his sword in a powerful downward thrust at, at least two of them before leaping out of the way and casted Lightning to shock the rest of the remaining thirteen who were left briefly paralyzed, which gave Zack a chance to stab the Buster Sword into the ground and lifted himself into the air, somersaulting and landed a hard kick into another one of the soldier's faces, sending him flying into the other twelve men, creating a domino effect where they all collasped onto the ground. Zack then twirled his Sword around and around several times to call upon his Tornado Spell before he thrusted it out at 20 other men who were caught into the massive gusts of winds before Zack finished them off with a combination of Fire and Lightning Spells to make a critical effect.

But this was enough to distract him as more gunshots successfully hit him on the sides, causing Zack to yell out in pain before cart-wheeling out of the way to avoid more coming at him, then held up his sword just in time to block the enemies' swords in a heavy clash then swung it to slice one of them at the chest where the Militas Ultra soldier collasped. Zack then knocked the sword from another one in front of him before thrusting the Buster Sword right into the unfortunate soldier's stomach right through his back, then pulled it out and had no time to remose on the fallen man's demise. He then blocked another Militas Ultra soldier's sword downward from the latter's grasp before punching him in the jaw, knocking him out cold or dead. He then saved himself just in time by thrusting out at another one coming from his right and harshly kicked him in the stomach were the Militas Ultra soldier stumbled before crashing into two more of his comrades.

Despite curing himself again, Zack found himself trapped by at least 30 other soldiers that were making their way towards him. Zack grunted before once again thrusting around and around three times to knock back some of them where they suffered fatal wounds, some of them even losing their arms and legs. Mustering up his strength, Zack then leaped into the air before yelling a battle cry as he thrusted downward at fifteen other soldiers in the upcoming group that attempted to kill him, instead getting killed themselves when the young swordsman finished his attack. Unfortunately, he was shot several more times and even though he blocked most of them with his barrier spell, dodge-rolling out of the way from other gunshots, and repeatedly healing himself before finishing them off with slashes, clashes and slices, despite the numbers finally slimming, he was becoming so exhausted that his wounds were becoming too crititcal for a healing spell to fix up and would need treatment if he didn't get out of this soon.

But he still refused to back down. Zack then saw ten more soldiers making their way towards him and despite the Buster Sword becoming heavy in his grip as he was starting to lose his strength, he still had enough to thrust out a powerful slash at five of them when they made the mistake of leaving an opening and leaving their stomachs and chests open, being left with slice wounds where they collasped and bleed to death. Zack then thrusted downward another, side-slashed the fourth remaining one, side-downward cleaved another from shoulder to hip, and repeated the process of the the other two, one by one falling to their deaths. Eventually after repeating this and slowly losing the last of his strength, Zack was left with two last ones who were slowly making their way towards him, thinking that, in his weakened state, they can at least shoot him to death.

That was their mistake. Unwilling to allow these guys to make any reports of his death, Zack grunted before he, to the last two Militas Ultra soldiers' shock, thrusted out at them, knocking away their weapons before slicing them at the exact same time, where they, choking in shock, collasped to the ground, dead. The siege army were at last defeated. All that remained around Zack were hundreds of dead bodies on the ground cliff that overviewed the Midgar Ruins and Edge. ( **~End** **L'Oscurità dell'Ignoto~** )

But not without a price.

As Zack had fought, he had also been desperately clinged onto both his memories of his previous life, and the memories of his current life he'd been reborn in. But despite having stopped the army from doing the siege, Zack knew he couldn't move on. With his strength having left him, he collasped onto his back, the Buster Sword falling from his grip where it landed with a heavy clang. Arms spread out, and gazing skyward, all the young swordsman could do now was pant. His wounds were not that fatal, but...something else was preventing him from moving.

When he weakly gazed to his right, Zack felt his heart freeze up when mists of darkness began seeping from his body. So the darkness Terra and Grovyle freed him from was back, and this time, Zack had no strength to fight it. Was it because he'd been furious with the Militas Ultra that the darkness in his heart awakened?

"Even you can't fight against the darkness." A familiar voice spoke sinisterly above him.

As he began to lose consciousness, Zack managed enough strength to gaze up to see that Sephiroth had returned, and was looming over him evilly, the former hero concluding wickedly, "Your heart will sleep forever."

He tried to fight it. He really did. Unfortuantely, Zack's strength at last had been demolished, and just as Sephiroth walked away, the younger man lost consciousness and his world went black.

* * *

 _On Destiny Islands..._

It was early in the afternoon, and on the Beach of the Play Island, a twelve year old boy with spiky hair, white and blue t-shirt, long red shorts and yellow shoes was sleeping on the sand peacefully, before his closed eyes began to twitch and unknown to the boy, his chest was slightly glowing.

Within his heart, another Heart of a blonde-spiky haired teenage boy, or who seemed to be a teenager, sensed something was wrong. A friend, another friend whom he hasn't seen in eight years, was about to lost his heart into darkness.

Somehow not willing to let that happen, the said heart glowed brightly, which was reacted in a large Castle, where it's body, revealing to be a still sleeping Ventus who hasn't changed psychically in the past eight years, sheded a tear. Ven somehow sensed in his sleep that something appened.

' _Zack!_ ' Ven's unconscious mind and his heart reacted.

* * *

Zack didn't know where that light had come from, but he felt it rather than had seen it. He also felt himself floating slowly in mid-air and at first wondered if he was in Heaven. But as he slowly opened his eyes, all he saw was misty darkness, before slowly landed softly onto a giant round glass platform. As Zack looked around, he was surprised to see a picture of himself on the stained glass in the darkness.

The last thing he remembered was losing consciousness as darkness took over his heart. Zack then began to think; was this...was this his heart? He had no idea how he knew this, but it...made sense.

( **~L'Eminenza Oscura II-KH:DDD~** )

"Another lost heart has interfered with your slumber, Zack." Sephiroth's voice spoke behind him, causing Zack to turn around and to his annoyance and anger, Sephiroth, in his current form he turned into back in the real world, appeared, his masamune in hand, and single wing out. "Give in to the Darkness, because so that you and I can be fully complete!" He demanded.

So the Sephiroth cells still rested inside him, Zack thought, despite his rebirth. Despite this, he shook his head in refusal, before unsheathing the Buster Sword that was again behind his back, holding a tight grip on it as he suggested with determination, "I have a better idea. How 'bout I destory you!" standing in a fighting position.

Sephiroth merely chuckled, "Your darkness is part of me, just as the cells are. If you destroy me, your heart will be lost forever." he pointed out coldly.

"Whatever it takes!" Zack replied, knowing now that the Sephiroth in front of him was just part of the cells that were awakened, but was still a threat. None the less, Zack wasn't going to go down without a fight. "Anything to protect Cloud, Aerith and the others!"

"Hmph. It's always about friends, isn't it?" Sephiroth snorted, not impressed. So the last of his sanity of his rebirth was finally gone, leaving behind the same insane man just like in their previous lives.

"At least friends are real!" Zack argued, continuing with determination and resolve, while having released another thing, that the light came from Ven's heart despite it having been missing, but he felt it; the similiar warmth from the who had become one of his new friends eight years ago.

"I know now, that Ven's heart is still out there, otherwise I wouldn't be here." He continued, "Angeal trusted me with his sword. Everyone I've met are close to me now more than ever." With a final nod of resolve, Zack concluded, "I'm a SOLDIER, at Heart!"

The two then clashed against each other in an attempt to destroy each other; one who wishes to sacrifice himself to destroy the darkness of the opponent who wishes to cast the other's heart into darkness. It at first seemed to be a repeat of the short battle in Midgar earlier before Zack made his way to find Genesis in Banora Ruins.

Zack then quickly blocked Sephiroth's fast attacks before forcing himself to back off and leap out the way before he ended up a kabab on masumune and had to only keep on leaping out of the way to avoid in getting killed. Even as Zack saw his chance once Sephiroth got close, he attempted to thrust at him with the blunt-side of the Buster Sword, but ended up missing, before he was kicked in the stomach and collasped to the ground. However, Zack managed to get to his feet and avoided the sword once more, as Sephiroth brought down the masumune whirling arc-hits that crash-locked up with the big sword.

Sephiroth wound for a single-slash, but Zack knew his technique now. He jerked forward into his own slash that cancelled out the masamune's in a ringing echo. He dove to get even footing but Sephiroth blocked him. That thin steel tip whirled in slitting whips. Whizzing hot steel sliced Zack's cheek, and his hand flew to his face as he leapt back. But this time, Zack was ready. He thrusted blunt-side of the Buster Sword which would still do heavy damage and made contact with Sephiroth's side, causing the olde man to grunt in pain due to the attack. The two then continued the clash blades. Sephiroth swung his sword but missed. Zack then ran in and returned the blow with a strike of his own. The Buster Sword scraped against Sephiroth's as he raised it to defend himself.

However, Sephiroth easily launched himself forward, attempting to slice Zack into millions of pieces, but the younger man blocked each attack as hard as he could before dodge-rolling out of the way. He then blasted a fire spell at Sephiroth arm. While it did cause some burns, that only made the crazed man even more furious before he suddenly disappeared in feathers, and as Zack searched around for him, the silver-haired man reappearing above him, mumuring words, "Meteor." as the familiar small chunks of flaming rocks rained down that were the size of Mickey, hurling towards Zack who ended up running to avoid the crashing large rocks of fire that caused vibrations on the platform which made cracks.

Zack was then forced to jump backwards out of the way as Sephiroth raised one arm and brought it crashing down onto the rocky podium where the swordsman stood. Once more he spread his hands and flames began to form, larger and more condensed, but Zack used this to his advantage and summoned Firaga, this time concentrating as fast as he could and made the attack appear behind Sephiroth, hitting him from behind where the silver-haired man hissed at the burns of the Firaga fire balls. None the less, Sephiroth then closed his wing over his torso, and the yellow orb at his waist began to glow. The air around it wavered, and sparks of light formed and were drawn into the orb. A beam of light suddenly burst out of the orb. Zack cart-wheeled out of the way as fast as he could to avoid such attack which the real Sephiroth in their previous life used in his monsterous form used all those years ago.

Sephiroth then suddenly appeared in front of him and made a Quadruple Slash at Zack who had trouble blocking it before he found an opening and immediately thrusted it out at Sephiroth's chest to knock him back, but the crazed man immediately disappeared once more before Zack could even land a single hit. Sephiroth teleported to get to him and Zack only had enough time to block the masamune before he ended up losing his head all together. Zack quickly used a healing potion to at least get half of his health and strength back before he readied his sword and charged, jumping and striked at him when Sephiroth reappeared, Zack striked upwards, downwards, left, right, corner-right down, corner-left down, corner-right up, and corner-left down, yelling, "Here we go! Go! Go! Go!"

Sephiroth wasn't fazed by this and counterparted by using a combination of Firaga and Blizzaga that caused both burns and painful ice freezes at Zack who didn't have time to block them, before he quickly blocked Sephiroth's masamune once more as the silver-haired man teleported in front of him. The two clashed again from side, to up, to down, to side again, and tried to stab each other, but kept on blocking each other's attacks, but unlike last time, Zack had found new inner strength and resolve to not allow his body to become a Sephiroth clone as Hojo had attempted to make of him and Zack 8,000 years previously. Sephiroth then once again hovered in the air and again summoned Meteor to try and destroy Zack once and for all. But Zack, having an idea which is similiar to his fight against Genesis, dove out of the way while having trouble with dodging the multiple sword replicas before deciding that he had to use what magic he had left to save himself from this situation and used his Tornado Ability to stop the Meteor Shower.

To his relief and Sephiroth's shock, the Tornado Spell thrusted up towards him and shot back the latter's Meteor Spell, leaving Sephiroth no time to block or dodge them despite his teleporting but instead was hit repeatedly by his own attack reflected by his enemy's, weakening him and causing him to fall onto the platform before managing to flip mid-air and land safely, but still panted. Zack was becoming exhausted well, making them both realise that this battle would have to end sooner or later. Sephiroth then charged straight towards Zack who immediately turned and raised his sword to block the attack, but still his arms jarred when Sephiroth's sword collided with his. He was trying to force Sephiroth back when his opponent suddenly leapt back of his own accord. Twisting his body around, Sephiroth tried to strike him from the side. Zack only just responded in time to block the blow, and then had to block again as Sephiroth struck him again from his other side.

Zack jumped out of the way and blocked the third attempt before dodge-rolling. He then thrusted his sword in a powerful downward thrust at Sephiroth who leaped away before he could even get a scratch on him. However, Zack quickly jumped out of the way when Sephiroth had reappeared behind him and narrowedly avoided in having the Masumune being impiled through his body. After being safely half way away from his opponent, Zack held a tight grip on his sword, aimed directly at Sephiroth who, despite being exhausted, still held a confident and calm expression. Knowing that the battle had to end now or never, Zack swung his sword. At the same time Sephiroth moved, swinging his own sword, bringing it down to meet Zack's head-on.

The two swords clashed. As the blades connected, sparks of light danced along them and into the air around the two swordsmen. Zack gave another yell and pushed on his sword. Sephiroth pushed back, and then his eyes widened in surprise as the masamune was suddenly wrenched from his hands. The blade went flying through the air and out of his reach. Zack didn't stop here, as he darted forward, breaking through Sephiroth's defences, and swung his sword. The Buster Sword glowed as he struck; landing blows again and again without pause or respite. Sephiroth cried out as each blow hit home, unable to defend himself from Zack's attack. Finally, as though burrowing some of Cloud's power, Zack leaped into the air before descending, thrusting the Buster Sword sideways, bringing the blade down right onto Sephiroth's chest.( **~End** **L'Eminenza Oscura II~** )

"W-why!?" Sephiroth choked, in sheer shock and horror.

( **~Beyond the Door-KH 1.5 HD ReMix** )

As Zack had thrusted out the finishing blow, Sephiroth's mouth fell open, and his eyes widened in fear and surprise as he fell backwards. A deep, burning sensation spread throughout his body like wildfire, as though he was burning from the inside. Finally, his eyes slid closed as he began to disappear, as his sword shattered into pieces before fading away. The inner mentalness of the Buster Sword also vanished from Zack's grip, but the younger man wasn't worried. In fact, he finally figured out that this was probably how Ven lost his heart with the struggle against his inner darkness eight years ago.

The beams spread along his arms and legs, until Sephiroth's entire body was aglow with a piercing, blinding light. Tiny crimson balls of energy emerged from within him. More and more drifted out and Sephiroth's body grew smaller and smaller, until there was nothing left of him. The light disappeared, and the imbodied cells of Sephiroth was finally gone, despite the real one still out there, but Zack knew that one day, the real Sephiroth would be defeated once more.

Zack, gazing at the spot where Sephiroth disappeared from, just smiled as his glass platform somehow recovered. He then closed his eyes as he allowed himself to fade into light, before becoming a heart which, like Ven's heart eight years ago, flew off. Ven's heart itself, having floated above Zack's battle, then floated away. Unknowingly to the twelve year old boy back on the Islands, Ven's heart returned into his own heart to continue it's slumber, but not before it heard Zack's voice in graditude. ( **~End Beyond the Door~** )

" _Ven...thanks._ "

* * *

( **~Sadness*Ventus's Theme-KH:BBS*~** )

Back in Traverse Town, Aerith was in the First District approaching the Acessory Shop when she paused, a sudden cold sorrowed feeling sweeping over her. It also unusually began to rain from the never ending night sky. Blinking in confusion, she turned to gaze at it, before suddenly, an unbearable feeling almost consumed her. Somehow, she can sense it; Zack was overcome by darkness and his heart was now lost. Her own heart aching at the sudden and unbearable loss of the young man whom she had quickly had grown to care for deeply, Aerith held her hands together to her chest, as though praying, trying not to cry.

She continued to gaze at the sky, as though pleading for Zack to come back. But Aerith knew, no matter how hard she wished for...he wasn't.

* * *

 _In Neo-Tokyo on Earth in the Solar Universe..._

Serena, who having flunked another test and only getting thirty points on her report paper, was gazing at the afternoon sky before she was snapped out of her trance by Molly who was taking her to one of the jewerly stores in town on their way back home from school.

"Didn't you hear me? I said my mom's store is this way." Molly said, pointing at the path leading towards the shop.

"Uh, right." Serena nodded apologetically.

But as the two best friends walked past other stores and buildings, Molly then noticed something odd happening and quickly became concerned. "Serena, what's wrong?"

"Huh?" Serena replied, pausing as she wondered what her friend was talking about, only for Molly to point at her face. Blinking before realising that her face felt a bit wet from a familiar sensation of a tear, the blond-haired teenaged girl reached out her hand to catch it, before gazing at her fingers, realising that it was tear, which surprised her. She had no idea why, but her chest suddenly felt...heavy with deepening sorrow, as though she just lost someone close to her.

Little did Serena know, she too had sensed the tragic end of Zack.

"That's really weird." Serena muttered, feeling sad and yet she didn't seem sad at the same time. "I feel so sad, like a friend or someone in my family just died. My heart feels hurt, like, really bad."

"Maybe we should get you off to the hospital." Molly suggested, worriedly.

"But this never happened before." Serena pointed out, worried herself, but she felt healthy still. "I just don't get it. Plus, it's not like I'm injured or anything...I...I just don't understand." She shook her head, trying and failing to figure this out.

This only now confused Molly, as she sweatdropped before saying, "You say weird stuff sometimes, Serena." before explaining when she noted on what her friend said, "But, I guess I can understand what it's like. Maybe you'll figure it out someday, like nothing in a book or at school to teach ya."

After a slight pause, Serena then replied, "And you say I say weird stuff. But I guess I can give your advice a shot." before gazing back up at the sky along with her friend, as the early evening Moon appeared in the sky, in it's cresent shaped form at quarter.

Yet Serena did not know that tonight would be the night that her life would be changing forever.

* * *

 _Back in the Midgar World in the Multiverse..._

Cloud had searched everywhere for Zack around the area. As he searched through out the ruins, he felt a sudden bad horrible feeling in his gut and heart, before sensing that his friend was close, but at the same, he was suddenly losing him. So the young man followed that feeling and it only got worse when he heard gunshots and swords clanging and yelling and then...nothing. By the same Cloud arrived at the top of the cliff that was strongly familiar, he stopped short as all around the area, dead bodies of Militas Ultra soldiers were scattered all over the place.

He looked around before he gasped in sheer horror and despair, as he saw, near the cliff, was Zack. Cloud, horrified and scared, immediately rushed over before collasping onto his knees right next to his friend's body. Zack was wounded, and he was limp, and no matter what Cloud did, the wounded swordsman wasn't waking up. No. No, not him too! Zack couldn't be dead. He can't be!

Cloud, in sorrow and guilt, began to sob, trying to fight back tears but was starting to lose that battle. The sorrow he felt was because Zack was gone. The guilt he felt was because he failed to find him on time. If only Cloud had been stronger and faster. He blamed himself for everything that's happened.

Just then, Cloud felt something thrust behind him and when he opened his eyes to quickly look up, to his confusion and shock, he found himself on a strange round glass platform, with a picture of himself imprinted on it. The entire platform itself was surrounded by darkness with white mists. He stood up before looking around, wondering where he was, unaware that he was in a place that was all hearts. Suddenly sensing light above him, Cloud looked up to see...a glittering heart in light descend slowly towards him.

Yet somehow it was familiar, and Cloud could only mutter one name. "Zack?"

" _Cloud...For...both of us..._ " Zack's voice spoke through the heart, which floated in front of Cloud who gently held it in his hands, the single heart floating above his palms.

"Both of us?"

" _That's right. You're gonna live. You're my living legacy, Cloud._ " Zack's heart continued, sounding sad yet happy. Sad because this would be the final time they would speak to each other for a long time, yet happy to have the chance to speak to Cloud again for the final time. It was the repeat of 8,000 years ago, only now different. " _I know it's hard, but, it's up to you to stop Sephiroth._ "

Cloud couldn't quite understand, but at the same time, suddenly realised that Sephiroth was still out there, and he no doubt was the real reason of Zack's death-like slumber and his heart having come to him. "Up...to me?"

As though the heart nodded to confirm it, Zack's heart then said, repeating his words to what he told him all those years ago in their previous life despite that Cloud still had no idea about that, but it was probably for the best for now, " _My Honor, My Dreams...They're yours now. Take my sword with you._ "

Zack was surrending his sword to Cloud? To wield it against Sephiroth? Cloud was uncertain, but then...given that he managed to stop him earlier in Midgar Ruins despite not being as strong as Zack, maybe Cloud really is the only one to stop Sephiroth once and for all. The young spiky-blonde haired man had a feeling that it was going to take ages before he could make peace with himself and stop Sephiroth for good, determination to avenge his fallen friend filled up his heart. Cloud knew that nothing can bring Zack back, but he wasn't going to give up on him.

"I'm...your living legacy." Cloud repeated, and somehow, the way he said it strongly sounded familiar, even from his own voice. Why did it sound familiar?

None the less, he decided to worry about that later.

" _One more thing...is it alright...If I can stay with you?_ " Zack's heart asked this time, sounding hopeful.

While Cloud had no idea how it came to be, he somehow understood despite this sounding risky, but it was a risk he was going to take. "Okay." He replied.

" _Thanks, man._ " Zack's heart said.

Cloud then closed his eyes while allowing Zack's heart to float and absorb itself into his chest, absorbing deep into his heart. It felt strange, but at the same time, Cloud didn't feel any different.

When he opened his eyes again, Cloud found himself back in the real world, glancing around before realising that he must've gone deep into his mind...or deep into his heart. The sky had turned dark and it began to rain. The young man gazed back at Zack's motionless body, before realising that his chest was rising and falling slowly. That's when Cloud somehow understood, but still didn't quite understand. He then gazed at the fallen Buster Sword, and remembering Zack's request, slowly picked it up by the hilt, along with a fallen item from the man's pockets; the Starshard.

While Cloud had no idea what to do with it, he still gazed up at the sky, tears falling at the sudden loss, remembering all the times he spent with Zack; Visions of his dreams leading up to the events of Nibelhiem, and also his memories of the time when he and Zack first met for real, when Zack had been worried about him, Tseng and Reno when Genesis attacked, when the two of them had spend some time after Angeal's death where Zack had cried for his loss, and finally, to Zack pleading with Cloud to finish off Sephiroth in Midgar.

And also a secret Zack shared with Cloud; the former having come from another world, and his Starshard having been his key to travel to places on his quest. That's when Cloud realised, given Sephiroth's abilities, the man could also travel across worlds with Darkness. Knowing now that he would have to leave not only Zack and Tifa behind, but also his home world in order to begin his quest to find and stop Sephiroth, no matter what world he was in.

With a nod, Cloud stood up, saying for the final time to Zack's comatose body, fighting back more tears that threatened to leak, "I'll find Sephiroth, and settle with him. I promise." He said, before turning to leave, pausing long enough to give his final farewell, "Goodnight, Zack."

Holding a tight grip on Zack's Buster Sword, Cloud then walked away, determined to keep to his promise. This was the beginning of his own struggles that lie ahead of him and in just a short two years time, he would meet someone who would be one of his main keys to finally understand the truth of the events that happened.

He paused at near the entrance of Midgar Ruins before gazing up at the sky. He would find Sephiroth, and settle the score once and for all.

* * *

No sooner had Cloud left on his quest, a single black feather descended from the sky and landed beside Zack's sleeping body which was then scooped up by a remosed and surprisingly guilt-ridden Genesis who held him Snow-White style.

" _Even if the Morrow is barren of promises, Nothing shall forestall my return. To become the dew that quenches the land, To spare the sands, the seas, the skies, I offer thee this silent Sacrifice._ " Genesis quoted, before gazing at Zack's peaceful sleeping expression, and muttered, "One day, Zack, your heart will return."

Extending his single wing, Genesis then took up with Zack's body in his arms, leaving behind the world for somewhere no one would find them in. This was the starting point of the events that could see the ending result in three years to come.

* * *

Tifa had spend days searching for Cloud, only to find herself just outside of Kalm. None the less, as she was about to leave to continue her journey, suddenly she sensed something very unusual. Confused, she glanced up at the sky after it finally stopped raining, but then...somehow, she sensed that Cloud was leaving.

Leaving behind everything to find Sephiroth, the monster who caused this mess.

With renewed determination, and realising what was happening, Tifa nodded to herself. She would find Cloud, and protect him in everyway she can. She didn't know how yet, but she would follow him...even to other worlds, no matter what it took. ( **~End Sadness*Ventus' Theme*~** )

* * *

He was dreaming in a never-ending sleep. Zack didn't know how, but as his heart was now sleeping within Cloud's own heart, Zack's subconsciousess would be spending the rest of his time dreaming. But as he awoke, he smiled as new memories of previous life came to him;

Helping helping Cloud and a super-formed Sailor Moon to return to the world of the living after the two of them entered the Lifestream after the fight against Sephiroth's remnants. Waving a goodbye to them from the entrance of the Church in Midgar with Aerith before the two of them returned to the Afterlife in the Lifestream. Aiding Sailor Moon to help Reno transfere some kind of spirit into the body of a woman from the future. Coming back to life with Aerith who was sent back to the living to help aid Cloud and the others to defeat another enemy who was the cause of the previous two events that landed Sailor Moon and Mickey, along with their allies, to travel back in time three more times.

With these memories, Zack smiled. Maybe there is a chance he can see everyone again, when his heart returned to his body someday without hurting Cloud. Until then, he would have to wait. In his mind, he saw smiling and warm expressions of everyone he met on his journey and through out his life in his rebirth life;

Angeal, Cloud, Aerith, Yuffie, Leon, Kunsel, Mulan, Hercules, Meg, Phil, Pegasus, Peter Pan, the Lost Boys, Reno, Rude, Tseng, Elena, Cissnei, Mickey, Terra, Ven, Aqua, Jason, Grovyle, Queen Serenity, and lastly, Serena as Sailor Moon.

The image of Serena gave Zack new hope. Starting today, her journey was about to begin.

" _Sailor Moon...good luck._ "

* * *

 **A/N: The Epilogue/Ending is next up! And then it's the secret ending after that. See you real soon!**


	17. EPILOGUE: Fufilled Desires

**Author's note: The Epilogue/Ending here is similiar to "Sailor Moon 0-Birth By Sleep" Epilogue/Ending. Hope you enjoy it and be prepared for a shocker at the end of this chapter.**

 **Let's continue on and please remember these notes.**

The **Bold** is the Author's Notes.

The _Italic_ is both memories, thoughts and dreams.

The **Bold** & _Italic_ are the names of the worlds.

The Brackets (-and **Bold** -) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).

 **I hold no rights to Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy VII, Pokemon, Cardcaptor Sakura(who is making a cameo appearence here) or Sailor Moon.**

* * *

EPILOGUE: Fufilled Desires.

( **~Fufilled Desire-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

 _At Olympus Coliseum..._

The village was left in devastation due to the fire that happened just days before. Only half of the population managed to survive the fire and escaped with minor injuries. The other half...did not make it in time. Survivors had said that the cause of it was a mad-man with silver hair and a long sword.

Hercules, having heard this, immediately rushed over to see if there was anything he could do, but for the first time ever, there wasn't anything to be done. His heart ached at the devastation that was left behind, and unable to believe that Sephiroth, whom he suspected was the one to cause all of this, had actually done it. Meg, Pegasus and Phil were with him and could only gaze around in guilt, shock and sympathy at the remains of the village. It only ached their hearts even more, especially when they had heard that the boat Zack had been sailing on had been attacked and sunk.

Back then, Hercules had been too late to save his friend. But then again, this was the burden of being a true hero; he couldn't always save everyone...not even his friends. But little did he know that Zack wasn't dead at all...

Still...Zack's ending didn't go so well.

Hades watched on from afar and sighed before poofing away back to the Underworld to gather up more souls for the River of Death, but to his shock and dismay, despite the annoyed black-spiky haired young man's last words, Zack's soul still wasn't in the Underworld. Where could he be, he wouldn't know.

Until then, the next challenges Hercules and his friends would be two years away, and they would be facing not just Hades who would be joining new allies for domination, but another threat.

* * *

 _In Traverse Town..._

Aerith, sorrowed for what she sensed earlier, had made it back to the hotel were Leon and Yuffie were waiting, and for once didn't encounter any Heartless for the time being, meaning that things had settled down a little in the Realm of Light. When she met up with both of them, Leon and Yuffie both immediately went over to her, only to notice her saddened expression.

When she told them what she sensed, Aerith began to cry as she buried her hands into her face, sobbing. Leon was shocked, before lowering his head in guilt. He knew that Zack was a strong warrior, but perhaps his luck finally ran out and the Heartless possibly got to him. Yuffie, horrified at Zack's apparent demise while not knowing how Aerith sensed and knew this, threw herself into Leon's arms and sobbed, her tears soaking his shirt, making him uncomfortable.

He wasn't cut out in trying to comfort someone, especially someone as young as Yuffie. Still, Leon couldn't push her away. So, the only thing he could do was awkwardly rub the fourteen year old ninja girl's back to soothe here, before finding himself having Aerith's arms around him and Yuffie. He sighed.

This was going to be a long sad day. Though the three of them were unaware that there may be a chance that they will see Zack again someday.

* * *

 _In the Land of Dragons..._

Mulan and her father gazed up at the cherry bolossems that bloomed in the trees of their garden at their home. They had just had a visit from the doctor who told Mulan's father to have three cups of tea in the morning, and three cups of tea at night everyday for his health. Despite this, he was a warrior, and knew that someday he would have to serve the Emperor. Mulan in the meantime, took it upon herself to look after her father now more than ever.

She thought about the young man she'd met weeks earlier, but hasn't seen again after he saved her from those mysterious black monsters which haven't appeared again for a while either. But there was something wrong happening. She had no idea how or why, but she could sense it. So, like her family, she prayed to her ancestors to help her find the answer to this mysterious case, yet knew that the answer wouldn't come to her at all.

But perhaps the small dragon Guardian that hanged from the ceiling above her might understand better in two years time...but not without a price of dangers that were ahead.

* * *

 _In Neverland..._

Cubby and Slightly were carrying the treasure chest toward their hideout at the old tree and watched as Peter Pan flew above them. The two boys cheered for him as he flew up, before noticing Captain Hook and Smee who were hiding behind the bushes, preparing to make a surprise attack to snatch the treasure chest, but the two pirates were unaware of Pan watching them. Pan then surprised Hook by snatching the Pirate's hat before placing it onto his own head, laughing while Hook, angered to have been tricked yet again, yelled at him to give him his hat back, swearing revenge and the usual same old same old.

Life in Neverland continued on as normal, but it would slightly change in two years time.

* * *

 _In Disney Town..._

The Annual Dream Festival was on again, and like the past seven years, nothing went wrong. The usual games happened, despite that, since Pete's banishment into another dimension eight years ago, his Pinball attraction was taken down since no one wanted to remember how much trouble that large trouble-making cat caused. Instead, it was replaced by an happy lit-up water slide of a large pool, suggested by Goofy which King Mickey happily agreed to.

Despite the fun activities, Mickey himself couldn't help but sense that someone he knew, a friend, met a tragic end, but he tried to cross it off as bad memories of the losses of Ven, Serenity, Grovyle and Jason, the disappearences of Aqua, Terra, and Ansem the Wise, and that Radiant Garden somehow vanished as well. But he was worried that someone else close to him also vanished. Still, he didn't want to ruin the Dream Festival. So, the young King decided to wait until the event was over to ask Master Yen Sid why he was feeling this way...

But someone would distract him and make him forget that meeting. Though Mickey was unaware, that in two years time, his greatest challenge would begin. He also sensed a familiar warm light lit up in a Universe far away, but would not know of it's power until his next adventure begins.

* * *

 _In Twilight Town..._

After another hard day of a mission, Axel decided to take a detour and was now gazing out high from the Clock Tower at the scenary of the town and it's surrounding forests, while the sun was setting red. Rumor has it that the spiky-black haired swordsman lost his heart, according to the Superior, but Axel didn't care about any of that. How can he? He has no heart, and hadn't had one in the last seven years.

He looked down below and noticed three twelve year old children, two boys and one girl, happily playing catch with a frisbee and seeing that made Axel blink in slight surprise, as a memory of his childhood as a human entered his mind. He shook his head and smirked a little. Feelings were for those who had hearts.

Or so he thought. Because in two years time, he would meet a new and final member of the Organization that would change his mind, and change him forever.

* * *

 _In the world of Midgar..._

There was still no sign of Zack, Cloud or Tifa. Reno and Rude had looked everywhere in the area Elena had suggested to them. When they rechieved orders to head back, they were instead forced to land somewhere close to the Ruins of Midgar when Militas Ultra's Helicopter nearly caused the two Turks to crash land. The two partners then found themselves surrounded by at least twenty Militas Ultra soldiers who trapped the duo in a circle. Reno and Rude both stood back to back, the former holding a tight grip on his EMR in his left hand.

But the two weren't worried. They'd been in this situation before. Reno then smirked and made a teasing comment on who would be the first to finish half of the opponents off, which made his best friend chuckle, taking up the bet. After all, there's no mission that's impossible for the Turks.

They then attacked their enemies. Reno's speed took out the faster ones of the Militas Ultra, and since he was built for speed, he was faster than these losers. He thrusted his EMR, clobbering two or three of his enemies, knocking them out with whacks, and highly-skilled kicks with his martial arts skills he was trained in. Rude's strength took out the stronger ones, being that he was built for power, fractured a couple of his opponents' skulls and thrusting them over him.

The two Turks continued to fight until all of their enemies in the area were defeated, which allowed Reno and his partner to make a hasty retreat back to ShinRa HQ in Edge, to make a report of their failure to find Zack, Cloud and Tifa, fully unaware of what really happened to the three of them.

* * *

 _Near Neo Tokyo on Earth..._

A nine year old short brown-haired girl with green eyes, wearing her black, red and white school uniform, roller-skated her way to school after waving a goodbye to her father. She skillfully skated to catch up to her older brother, who being at sixteen, had short dark hair and eyes, rode on his bike. He usually picked on her due to being the youngest, but he still cared for his little sister, especially since their mother having passed away six years earlier.

The brown haired girl then smiled as she and her brother met up with his friend, a teenaged boy same age as him, with silver short hair, blue eyes and glasses, having a gentle and very kind smile, not to mention being so cute that the nine year old girl had a huge crush on him.

However, in just one year, her life was about to change.

* * *

 _In the land of Kanto on Earth..._

An eight year old boy was fishing at a river which was his secret spot in fishing up water type Pokemon, dreaming of becoming a Pokemon trainer and he smiled at the exciting thought of it. To think that in just two years time, he could finally become a trainer and follow in his late father's footsteps since the man had passed away three years previously.

Little did the boy know, in his dream of becoming a trainer, it was just the start of a destiny for him and his own Pokemon partner who would become his true best friend for life.

* * *

 _On Destiny Islands..._

The twelve year old spiky-haired boy, having been startled awake by his two friends, a thirteen year old silver haired boy with light blue eyes, and a twelve year old girl wih blue eyes, the girl who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere seven years previously with no memory of her past save for her name, who both laughed at the spiky-haired boy's embarrassment.

After a conversation, the trio then had a race, like they always had many times before that never got too boring. As usual, the two boys were competing against each other, while their friend trailed behind, laughing. The three of them were unaware, however, that the truth behind the mysterious heart in the spiky-haired boy's heart, the key-sword like thing the silver-haired boy once held but had forgotten due to a meeting years before, and the red-haired girl's memories would start in two years to come.

Which would change their lives forever.

* * *

 _In Neo Tokyo on Earth..._

After feeling uncomfortable due the unusual sale Molly's mother was doing by seeling diamonds and so many costumers going all crazy, Serena, upset with her grades, having met a rude but very handsome man with short black hair in sunglasses who made bad remarks by calling her stupid, incredibly lazy, and even worse, commented on her hair by calling her 'Meat-ball head', having gone home only to be kicked out and forced back to the library when her mother saw her grades, and finally after having studied just to sastify her mother, made it back home and was now lying on her bed in her room, exhausted.

Serena hadn't even borthered to change out of her school uniform just yet, and instead had fallen asleep, only to be startled awake when her window slammed shut, and turned to see Luna, the black cat whom she saved from three younger boys who harrassed her earlier in the morning when she was late for school as usual. Serena was then terrified when Luna began to talk, and the latter was then telling the terrified teen that, despite some hesitation but had been watching her, is a chosen warrior, a Sailor Scout of the Moon, before noticing that Serena was still scared.

To make her believe the cat, Luna then leaped into the air, and with some magic, a around golden locket materialized before it landed softly on the quilt of Serena's bed. It was a beautiful locket with four small crystals of red, blue, yellow and green inside it, and in the middle, was a cresent moon with a pink round circle above it. Serena, her fear replaced by surprise, picked up the locket and gazed at it's beauty.

This was the starting point of her own destiny that would change everything.

* * *

 _Back in Midgar..._

Tifa had continued to traverse her way around in search for Cloud, making her way to the port of Junon after hitching a ride in a car to avoid the Mines where Midgar Zoloms roamed. As she thanked the driver for the lift, she paused when an unfamiliar large man, about three times taller than any average man, in a black coat, entered some kind of portal of darkness to head back to the wherever he came from.

Despite that the darkness of the portal looked dangerous, Tifa suddenly sensed that Cloud had already left the world and so, deciding to try her luck, she raced towards it and made it through the Corridor of Darkness just in time, finding herself in a strange tunnel place, before finding a door of light ahead of her. As she entered it, she found herself in an unfamiliar place...

She found herself in Traverse Town where her journey began.

* * *

Cloud had changed clothes to begin his journey to find Sephiroth. He now wore an outfit that was similiar to a SOLDIER 1st Class, except that one shoulder pad was missing, the other one had nuts and screws in it, his left hand had silver gear-like gaunlet around his wrist above his black glove, his right glove being fingerless, and to add to his journey, a red tatered cape that reminded him of someone's cape, but couldn't pin point on what it was.

None the less, as Cloud gazed at the field before him, he then shethed Zack's Buster Sword onto his back, before attatching the Starshard onto a motor cycle, ShinRa improved, which glowed along with the motorbike. Taking the hint, Cloud climbed on and started the engine before doing a bit of a wheely and then took off in high-speed.

As he did, Cloud and his bike then vanished into a portal crated by the Starshard now that it was attatched to the motor-bike, leading the young swordsman on his long journey to find Sephiroth and settle the score with him once and for all.

( **~End Fufilled Desire~** )

 **KINGDOM HEARTS: CRISIS CORE.**

* * *

 _Back in Neo Tokyo on Earth..._

( **~To be Continued from Opening of FFVII-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~** )

It was early evening, and the moon was shining brightly in the sky above the city's lit up lights, including Neo Tokyo's tower. Two figures, one cat, another a young girl in an outfit no one has seen before, were racing through the streets towards a store where the girl's destiny has fully began in a great war for peace of Earth that would lead to more battles through out the next four years.

Molly was being attacked by a hidous monster who had disgised herself as her mother earlier and was now choking her to steal her energy, talking about Earth about to be destroyed, when...

"Let her go!" A new voice demanded behind the monster, who turned her head to see a young girl, no older than fourteen, with long blonde hair with buns on the top, two red smooth rubies on them, wearing a white outfit her fuku and sailor scarf blue, her boots red with white on top, a golden tiara in place, red bows on the front and back, long gloves, and had blue eyes, as she repeated her demand, "I said let her go!"

"And who are you?" The monster asked, skeptically.

The girl, startled as she realized she couldn't give away her new secret and was nervous at her first battle, began hestiatedly before thinking about what her companion, Luna, had called her earlier, before deciding that her new persona would do to hide her real idenity.

So, she boldy introduced herself, with some confidence.

"I am Sailor Moon, Champion of Love and Justice!"

Her destiny has been began; Serena is now officially the real Sailor Moon.

 _ **To be Continued  
In...  
SAILOR MOON-SEASON 1.**_

( **~End** **To be Continued from Opening of FFVII~** )

* * *

 **A/N: Surprise! So this ending leads directly into the original Sailor Moon Anime's first season. The secret ending of this story, however, is in the next and final chapter. See you then!**


	18. SECRET ENDING: Possible Resurrection

**Author's note: The Secret Ending is somewhat similiar to that of the original Kingdom Hearts-Recoded(DS version and the Cimenatic version in 2.5) and the secret ending of "Pokemon Deltora Quest-Coded". This ending leads into another story which is still in progress and yet to be posted.**

 **Just so you know, Militas Ultra is the Present Day name of the Organization of Milities who is the main antagonistic Organization from "Final Fantasy Type-0".**

 **It's time to move onto the final chapter.**

 **I hold no rights to Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy Type-0, Cardcaptors, Pokemon, or Sailor Moon.**

* * *

SECRET ENDING: Possible Resurrection.

( **~Sign-FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN~** )

In the main Presidental Office of the New ShinRa Company in Midgar, Rufus sat behind his desk as his four Turks had made it back and were now standing before him in formal positions, despite Reno's usual shaggy appearence. They just made it back about five minutes ago and were hesitating a little to report their failure.

Finally, it was Tseng who broke the news, and needless to say, he was quite upset with the lack of evidence. While there were no reports of their targets having been kidnapped or killed, it didn't ease him. But he could not blame the other three Turks for their failure. "Mr. President. I'm afraid we failed to find the whereabouts of Zack, Cloud and Tifa."

Rufus just frowned, but not surprised. "Hmm...I see. You all did what you could." He said. Like Tseng, he couldn't blame them for their failure. They had done their best, and that was important.

Reno, angry with himself for being unable to find the others, just sighed before thinking aloud, "You know, if I know Cloud, he's probably gonna go and find Sephiroth and settle a score with him, and knowing Tifa, she's gonna go and look for Cloud." which he knew for certain if anything bad happened to Zack. The redhead wasn't sure why...but he just felt...like Zack had suffered a horrible fate, like 8,000 years ago in all of their previous lives.

"Yet we don't know if Sailor Moon exists yet or not." Rude pointed out, which made Reno sigh. He was right, of course. Who knew if Sailor Moon herself had gone into their past yet or was just starting her journey as of now or will be tomorrow, or perhaps she isn't even born yet.

Elena, still confused on this 'Sailor Moon' and the evidence of her memories of her previous life, stated, "But even so, Cloud managed to fight Sephiroth according to the report and maybe he can defeat him, this time without Sailor Moon's help."

( **~End Sign~** )

"My thoughts exactly. We should stay out of their way." Rufus said, agreeing with the youngest and only female avaliable Turk of the team. Then he frowned again, voicing his other main concerns, "However, my main concern is, what does Futhio attend to do next?"

( **~Evil Lurking*Xehanort's Theme-KH:BBS*~** )

This surprised three of the Turks whose eyes widened at the President's words. Futhio? The mad scientest who had similiar and same madness of mind?

"What? AVALANCHE's Scientest?" Reno asked, shocked, before pointing out while trying to keep his cool. "But our colluages killed him 8,000 years ago. I mean, the guy tried to summon Ziconiade to destroy the world, and used the former Director's daughter as part of his plan, since Hojo implanted it inside her body. Wasn't he killed along with the summon?"

"That is correct. Futhio has met his end." Tseng nodded to confirm his Second in Command's question, before explaining as he shared Rufus's worries, given their current situation with Militas Ultra, not to mention what they and Zack had been through for the past month, "However, if Sephiroth has returned, and so has Genesis, then there's no doubt that Fuhtio is back as well."

Rufus nodded in agreement, continuing for the current Director of the Turks, "Yes, and even though Hojo was not reborn nor revived, Fuhtio is no fool when it comes to things like this. This could mean, that he will certainly return." his brows furrowing at the thought of the mad scientest's return.

This made the Turks worried, but none more so than both Reno and Elena. The latter then asked, trying to hide her nervousness and fear, "And...he's going to try something to harm the world?"

"He was even using the original AVALANCE for his own deeds." Rude said, having remembered that detail, as did everyone else in the room.

Despite his own fears, Reno then pointed out, confident that they can handle a mad scientest, "Well, no matter what that loser comes up with, we're Turks, right? We can handle him easily!"

"It won't be easy with just the four us." Tseng pointed out, gravely concerned despite Reno's confidence. But he remembered, Futhio was very dangerous and could mulipliate people's minds by just talking. ( **~End Evil Lurking*Xehanort's Theme*~** )

He then questioned challengingly at the other three Turks, "You remember, that the last time our comrades fought against Ziconiade, that they all nearly lost their lives?"

This the three of them did not remember straight away. This question alone, however, horrified Reno, Rude and Elena who all lost their calm and professional postions as all three of them gasped in realization. True they were still recovering memories of their past-lives, but none of them had actually thought that there were massive near losses and sacrifices. Could be true that Ziconiade was that dangerous?

Still, Reno demanded in horror, "What the hell's that supposed to mean!?"

"We cannot do this on our own." Tseng simply answered, unfazed by the trio's reactions, but knew how they felt. Mentally, he was horrified when he remembered this as well.

"Then it's settled." Rufus finally decided, after thinking about how the situation has gotten a lot worse. He then stood up with authority, which made his Turks resume their formal position, as he gave out his new order to the four of them.

"I want all of you to gather all of our former comrades. Perhaps like Cloud, one of them has the power to stop the enemy, just as Cloud has done to Sephiroth."

 _ **RECONNECT  
SAILOR MOON:**_

 _ **KINGDOM HEARTS: BEFORE CRISIS.  
SAILOR MOON: TRUTH OF NIGHTMARES.  
CARDCAPTORS: TYPE-0.  
KINGDOM HEARTS: MOON PASS TIME.**_

* * *

 **A/N: And Kingdom Hearts: Crisis Core is officially finished! I know it's not one of my best stories, I admit that, but I still had fun writing it none the less, and I'd want to thank everyone for favoriting, following and reviewing this story. For those of you who read "Sailor Moon: Truth of Nightmares", you know how both it and informated parts from "Kingdom Hearts: Moon Pass Time" are turned out.**

 **The other two, "Kingdom Hearts: Before Crisis" and "Cardcaptors: Type-0" are both connected to this as well as "Dirge of Cerberus-Sailor Dark Moon" as well as the "Lightning Trilogy"(Kingdom Hearts: Reawakening, Kingdom Hearts: Oblivion, and Chaos Revolation Final Fantasy*Sailor Moon Chronicles*).**

 **I may start on these when I get the chance. Until then, farewell everyone, and see you in other stories.**

 **May Kingdom Hearts and the Lifestream guide you.**


End file.
